Representative Evan Evans Settle

Evan Evans Settle (December 1, 1848 – November 16, 1899) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Kentucky who served in the United States Congress from 1897 until his death in 1899. His congressional career spanned the Fifty-fifth and part of the Fifty-sixth Congresses, a period marked by significant national debates over economic policy, the aftermath of the Panic of 1893, and the United States’ expanding role on the world stage. Over the course of two terms in office, he participated in the legislative process as a member of the House of Representatives and represented the interests of his Kentucky constituents.

Settle was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, on December 1, 1848. He attended the public schools of his native city, receiving a basic education that prepared him for further study. In June 1864, during the closing years of the Civil War, he was graduated from Louisville High School in Louisville, Kentucky. His early education in the state’s capital and later in Louisville placed him in the center of Kentucky’s political and commercial life at a time when the Commonwealth was grappling with the consequences of the war and Reconstruction.

After completing his secondary education, Settle studied law, pursuing the professional training that would underpin his later public career. He was admitted to the bar in 1870 and commenced the practice of law in Owenton, the seat of Owen County, Kentucky. Establishing himself as a practicing attorney in a small but important county seat, he quickly became a figure in local legal and civic affairs. His legal practice provided him with experience in advocacy and public issues that would later inform his work as a legislator.

Settle’s formal political career began at the county level. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Owen County in 1878, and his performance in that office led to his reelection in 1882 and again in 1886. As prosecuting attorney, he was responsible for representing the Commonwealth in criminal matters in the county courts, a role that required both legal skill and public trust. He resigned from this position in 1887, after nearly a decade of service, to pursue broader responsibilities in state government.

In 1887, Settle was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, where he served until 1890. As a member of the state legislature, he participated in shaping Kentucky law during a period of economic adjustment and political realignment in the post-Reconstruction era. His growing prominence within the Democratic Party was underscored by his selection as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1888, where he took part in the national party’s deliberations and the nomination process for the presidency. This combination of state legislative experience and national party involvement positioned him as a viable candidate for higher office.

Settle was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, winning a seat in the Fifty-fifth Congress and subsequently securing reelection to the Fifty-sixth Congress. He served from March 4, 1897, until his death on November 16, 1899. During his tenure in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process at a time when issues such as monetary policy, tariffs, and America’s emerging overseas commitments were at the forefront of national debate. As a Democratic representative from Kentucky, he participated in the democratic process and worked to represent the interests and concerns of his district within the broader context of federal policymaking.

Settle died in office in Owenton, Kentucky, on November 16, 1899, while still serving in the Fifty-sixth Congress. His death placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died while in active service during the nineteenth century. He was interred in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Owenton, Kentucky, where his burial reflected both his local roots and the respect accorded to him as a lawyer, state legislator, and member of the national legislature.