About James E. Bish
Lived 1859 – 1925 (aged 66). James E. Bish was an American politician.
James Ellis Bish (October 1, 1859 – November 29, 1925) was a state legislator in Illinois. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1895 to 1897. He wrote Past, Present, and the Future of the Negro.
Biography He was born October 1, 1859, in St. Francois County, Missouri. His parents were enslaved. He went to school in Belleville, Illinois, and then learned telegraphy at Alton before studying law and moving to Chicago. Democrat Solomon Van Praag (died September 13, 1927) contested Bish's election. Bish was represented in the case by Charles Samuel Deneen. Bish served one term. The next year, he ran for the Illinois Senate as an independent Republican.
In 1898 Bish was serving as Chicago's "city smoke inspector" under the Democratic mayoral administration of Carter Harrison IV He was found guilty along with seven others.
He died at his home in Chicago on November 29, 1925, and was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was James E. Bish?
American politician (1859–1925)
When was James E. Bish born?
James E. Bish was born on 1 October 1859 in St. Francois County.
When did James E. Bish die?
James E. Bish died on 29 November 1925 in Chicago.
What was James E. Bish's occupation?
James E. Bish was a politician.
What nationality was James E. Bish?
James E. Bish was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James E. Bish. https://biography.guide/james-e-bish/
MLA: "James E. Bish." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-e-bish/.
Chicago: "James E. Bish." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-e-bish/.
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