John Henry Kyl

John Henry Kyl (May 9, 1919 – December 23, 2002) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Iowa's 4th congressional district.[1][2]

This page is about the 20th-century Iowa Congressman; for the 19th-century Mississippi Congressman, see John C. Kyle; for his son, the Arizona Senator, see Jon Kyl.

John Henry Kyl
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 4th district
In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by	Bert Bandstra
Succeeded by	Neal Edward Smith
In office December 15, 1959 – January 3, 1965
Preceded by	Steven V. Carter
Succeeded by	Bert Bandstra
Personal details
Born	(1919-05-09)May 9, 1919 Wisner, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	December 23, 2002(2002-12-23) (aged 83) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Arlene Griffith
Children	3, including Jon Kyl

Early life and education

Kyl was born in Wisner, Nebraska, the son of Johanna (née Boonstra) and Jon George Kyl, both Dutch immigrants. He graduated from Nebraska State Teachers College (Wayne, Nebraska) and the University of Nebraska.

Career

Kyl was a teacher at Nebraska State Teachers College from 1940 to 1950. In the 1950s, he moved to Bloomfield, Iowa where he joined his brother George in the clothing business. He also worked as a television journalist for KTVO in Ottumwa, Iowa.[3]

Kyl ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1958, losing to incumbent Steven V. Carter. However, Carter died on November 4, 1959 after less than one year in office. Kyl then won a special election to fill the vacancy. He continued to serve as the representative from Iowa's 4th congressional district for two additional terms, but was defeated in the 1964 United States House of Representatives elections, in which Democrats gained 36 seats in the House. He recaptured his former seat in 1966, and then won re-election in 1968 and 1970. Reapportionment after the 1970 census put him into the same district as incumbent Democrat Neal Edward Smith, who defeated him in the 1972 election.

From 1973 to 1977, he served as Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs in the United States Department of the Interior.[4]

Personal life

Kyl was married to Arlene (née Griffith), with whom he had three children, including Jon Kyl. Jon went on to serve as a two-time U.S. Senator from Arizona, from 1995 to 2013 and briefly in 2018. He also served as Senate Minority Whip.[5]

References

1. "JOHN HENRY KYL | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
2. PRESS, ASSOCIATED (2018-12-14). "Senator with roots in the Heartland will resign". KTVO. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
3. [e-mail], JOSEPH LOVERCHECK. "McCain's successor has ties to Northeast Nebraska". The Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
4. Affairs, United States Congress Senate Committee on Interior and Insular (1973). Interior Nominations: Hearing, Ninety-third Congress, First Session, on the Nominations of John H. Kyl and Jack O. Horton to be Assistant Secretaries of the Interior. U.S. Government Printing Office.
5. "KYL, Jon Llewellyn | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-11.

External links

• United States Congress. "John Henry Kyl (id: K000351)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• John Henry Kyl at Find a Grave

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Steven V. Carter	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 4th congressional district 1959–1965	Succeeded by Bert Bandstra
Preceded by Bert Bandstra	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 4th congressional district 1967–1973	Succeeded by Neal E. Smith