Ambrose Franklin Hileman (September 1, 1851 – December 12, 1898) was a politician from North Carolina. He served in the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

. He holds a unique place in the history of the state, as he was the only member of a third party to serve as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He served as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Political career

Hileman represented Cabarrus County, North Carolina in the

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

in the 1891, 1895, and 1897 sessions. During the 1897 session, he was elected Speaker by a fusion of

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and Populists which had won a majority in the

state legislature A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...

during the 1896 elections. The 1896 elections also brought to power Gov.

Daniel L. Russell Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. (August 7, 1845May 14, 1908) was the 49th Governor of North Carolina, serving from 1897 to 1901. An attorney, judge, and politician, he had also been elected as state representative and to the United States Congress, ...

and Lt. Gov.

Charles A. Reynolds Charles Albert Reynolds (November 10, 1848 – July 2, 1936) was a civil engineer and North Carolina Republican politician who served as the eighth Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina from 1897 to 1901 under Governor Daniel L. Russell. ...

(both Republicans). As speaker, he oversaw the

fusionist In American politics, fusionism is the philosophical and political combination or "fusion" of traditionalist and social conservatism with political and economic right-libertarianism. The philosophy is most closely associated with Frank Meyer. ...

majority enact liberalized election laws which expanded voter turnout, laws enacted which expanded financial appropriations for schools, while also reestablishing county superintendents, and oversaw a law which established a

direct election Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...

for the previously appointed office of Commissioner of Agriculture. The fusionists lost their majorities in the controversial 1898 legislative elections to the Democrats.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hileman, A 1851 births 1898 deaths Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina Populists Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives 19th-century American legislators