author
James J. (James John) Davis
1873–1947
Born in Wales and raised in America’s steel country, he worked his way up from mill jobs to national politics. His career stretched from the factory floor to the U.S. Cabinet and the Senate, giving him a story rooted in labor, immigration, and public service.
1 Audiobook
The Iron Puddler: My Life in the Rolling Mills and What Came of It
by James J. (James John) Davis
About the author
Raised in Pennsylvania after immigrating from Wales as a child, James J. Davis began working young in the steel industry and was often known by the nickname "Puddler Jim." That working-class background shaped the public image he carried through business, politics, and writing.
Davis became U.S. secretary of labor in 1921 and served under Presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover, making him one of the longest-serving people to hold that office. He later represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, where he continued a long public career tied closely to industry, labor questions, and Republican politics.
He was also active beyond elected office, especially in fraternal organizations, and wrote about social and political issues during his lifetime. His life reflects a classic immigrant-era rise: from industrial labor to national influence in Washington.