Ralph Emerson Bailey (July 14, 1878 – April 8, 1948) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

from 1925 to 1927.

Biography

Born in

Cainsville, Missouri Cainsville is a city in eastern Harrison County, Missouri, United States. The population was 283 at the 2020 census. History Cainsville had its start in 1854 when Peter Cain built a watermill on the site. As more workers arrived, a post office, ...

, Bailey moved to Illinois with his parents, who settled in Benton, Franklin County, in 1880. He attended the graded and high schools at Benton. He moved to

Bloomfield, Missouri Bloomfield is a city in Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,933 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stoddard County. In September 1864 during the Civil War, the town was reduced to ashes. History The first p ...

, in 1897. He graduated from the Southeast Missouri Teachers' College (now

Southeast Missouri State University Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is a public university in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In addition to the main campus, the university has four regional campuses offering full degree programs and a secondary campus housing the Holland Col ...

) at Cape Girardeau in 1901. He soon took a special course at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1907 and commenced practice in

. He moved to

Sikeston, Missouri Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way o ...

in 1910 and continued the practice of law. He served as City attorney in 1912–1914 and again in 1918–1922. He served as a member of the board of regents of the Southeast Missouri Teachers' College.

Congress

Bailey was elected as a

Republican 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 ...

to the Sixty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1927). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1926 to the Seventieth Congress.

Later career and death

He resumed the practice of law in

. He died in

Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal citie ...

, April 8, 1948. He was interred in the City Cemetery,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Ralph Emerson 1878 births 1948 deaths People from Harrison County, Missouri University of Missouri alumni People from Sikeston, Missouri Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Southeast Missouri State University alumni People from Benton, Illinois People from Bloomfield, Missouri