Representative Jouett Shouse

Jouett Shouse served as a Representative from Kansas in the United States Congress from 1915 to 1919. A member of the Democratic Party, Jouett Shouse contributed to the legislative process during 2 terms in office.

Jouett Shouse’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Jouett Shouse participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Jouett Shouse (December 10, 1879 – June 2, 1968) was an American lawyer, newspaper publisher, and leading Democratic politician. A conservative, he was best known for opposing the New Deal in the 1930s. Born in Midway, Kentucky, his family moved to Mexico, Missouri in 1892 where he attended public school. After studying at the University of Missouri at Columbia he returned to his native Kentucky where he served on the staff of the Lexington Herald from 1898 to 1904 and eventually became the owner/editor of The Kentucky Farmer and Breeder. In 1911, Jouett Shouse moved to Kinsley, Kansas, where he married. He became involved in agricultural and livestock businesses and served on the board of directors of the director of the Kinsley Bank. He was elected a state senator in 1913 then in 1915 was elected to the United States Congress where he served until 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson appointed him as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. At the Treasury Department, he was in charge of customs and internal revenue, and reorganized the War Risk Insurance division until November 15, 1920, when he resigned “in order to adjust his personal affairs.” Shouse was very active in the Democratic Party and was appointed chairman of the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee in May 1929. His powerful position in Washington politics led to him being on the cover of the November 10, 1930 issue of TIME magazine. He opposed the nomination of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the Democratic Party’s candidate for president and along with John J. Raskob supported the candidacy of Alfred E. Smith. In the early 1930s, Shouse divorced his wife of twenty-one years and married Catherine Filene Dodd, a wealthy divorcee. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, the new Mrs. Shouse was a daughter of A. Lincoln Filene, head of Filene’s department stores. She would serve on the board of trustees of the Filene Foundation. After their marriage, Jouett and Catherine Shouse took in and brought up a boy whom they renamed William Filene Shouse.