James K. Vardaman

James Kimble Vardaman (July 26, 1861 - June 25, 1930) was a Mississippi politican. He was raised in Yalobusha County, eventually studied law and became editor of a newspaper, the Greenwood Commonwealth (still in publication today). As a Democrat, he served in the state house of representatives from 1890 to 1896 and was speaker of that body in 1894. He was a major in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War. After two failed attempts in 1895 and 1899, Vardaman won the governorship in 1903 and served one 4-year term (1904-1908). He was elected to the U.S. Senate and served one term lasting from 1913 to 1919.