John E. Miles
Encyclopedia
John Easten Miles was a U.S.
politician who served as the 12th Governor of the state of New Mexico
.
. He attended the common schools of Tennessee
, but left home at the age of seventeen. He settled in Texas
and began farming. he did moderately well in that field, but a crop failure in 1906 convinced him to move to Oklahoma
and then to New Mexico
. He took a homestead there and married Susie C. Wade. Susie Wade was a member of the Choctaw Nation. Miles was descended from the Cherokee Nation. Racism in New Mexico politics during the early 20th century demanded that Miles keep his Native American history a secret.
Miles began to dabble in politics
as an observer at first. When the United States Democratic Party began to take back the New Mexico Legislature
in the 1920s, he started taking an active role in the political spectrum. He served in several offices including Quay County Assessor (1920–1924), secretary of the New Mexico State Tax Commission (1925), and secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee.
Miles came virtually out of nowhere to be elected Governor in 1938. This was partially because the New Mexico Democratic Party was having a dispute at the time between those who supported Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
and those who opposed it. Miles, an in between who was not an advocate but also did not work against the New Deal, was seen as a compromise. His term was rather uneventful, especially compared to that of his predecessor.
Upon completion of Miles' term as Governor he returned to holding various low-level organizational positions including chairman of the Public Service Commission (1943–1948), and Commissioner of Public Lands (1947–1948).
Finally, in 1948, the Democratic Party figured Miles would be an easy shot to take out Georgia Lee Lusk
in a primary for her Congressional seat
. Lusk upset democratic bigwigs two years earlier, including Miles. He just barely edged out Lusk, and only served one term as a Congressman (1949–1951) before retiring from public life. Miles died on October 7, 1971.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the 12th Governor of the state of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
Biography
Miles was born in Murfreesboro, TennesseeMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
. He attended the common schools of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, but left home at the age of seventeen. He settled in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and began farming. he did moderately well in that field, but a crop failure in 1906 convinced him to move to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and then to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. He took a homestead there and married Susie C. Wade. Susie Wade was a member of the Choctaw Nation. Miles was descended from the Cherokee Nation. Racism in New Mexico politics during the early 20th century demanded that Miles keep his Native American history a secret.
Miles began to dabble in politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
as an observer at first. When the United States Democratic Party began to take back the New Mexico Legislature
New Mexico Legislature
The New Mexico Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of New Mexico. It is a bicameral body made up of the New Mexico House of Representatives and the New Mexico Senate....
in the 1920s, he started taking an active role in the political spectrum. He served in several offices including Quay County Assessor (1920–1924), secretary of the New Mexico State Tax Commission (1925), and secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee.
Miles came virtually out of nowhere to be elected Governor in 1938. This was partially because the New Mexico Democratic Party was having a dispute at the time between those who supported Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
and those who opposed it. Miles, an in between who was not an advocate but also did not work against the New Deal, was seen as a compromise. His term was rather uneventful, especially compared to that of his predecessor.
Upon completion of Miles' term as Governor he returned to holding various low-level organizational positions including chairman of the Public Service Commission (1943–1948), and Commissioner of Public Lands (1947–1948).
Finally, in 1948, the Democratic Party figured Miles would be an easy shot to take out Georgia Lee Lusk
Georgia Lee Lusk
Georgia Lee Witt Lusk was the first female U.S. Congressional representative from New Mexico, educator, and devoted public servant.-Early life:...
in a primary for her Congressional seat
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. Lusk upset democratic bigwigs two years earlier, including Miles. He just barely edged out Lusk, and only served one term as a Congressman (1949–1951) before retiring from public life. Miles died on October 7, 1971.