Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party was a third party in the United States formed in 1912 by former President Theodore Roosevelt after he lost the presidential nomination of the Republican Party to his former protégé, incumbent President William Howard Taft. The new party was known for taking advanced positions on progressive reforms and attracting some leading reformers. After the party's defeat in the 1912 presidential election, it went into rapid decline, disappearing by 1918. The Progressive Party was popularly nicknamed the "Bull Moose Party" since Roosevelt often said that he felt "strong as a bull moose" both before and after an assassination attempt on the campaign trail.
Hiram C. Bull
Born in Laona, Chautauqua County, New York, he went to school in Fredonia, New York. Bull studied in law in Fredonia, New York and was admitted to the New York bar in 1843. He move to Johnstown, Pennsylvania and continued to practiced law. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and practiced law. He lived briefly in California. Bull then opened lumberyards in Milwaukee Janesville, and Madison, Wisconsin. Bull served in the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention of 1847-1848. He then served in the Wisconsin State Senate, from Madison, Wisconsin, in 1857 and 1858 and was a Republican. He served as adjutant-general of Wisconsin. Bull also was involved with the Wisconsin Historical Society. In 1859, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri and then to Arizona Territory and New Mexico Territory. He served in the 9th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. After the civil war, Bull opened a lumberyard in Leavenworth, Kansas. In 1870, he helped found a town Bull City, Kansas in Osborne County, Kansas. In 1872, Bull served as probate judge for Osborne County. From 1877 until his death in 1879, Bull served in the Kansas House of Representatives and was a Republican. On October 12, 1879, Bull was gored to death by an elk at his home in Bull City.