Omer Madison Kem

Who was Omer Madison Kem?

Omer Madison Kem was a Nebraska Populist politician.

Kem was born in Hagerstown, Indiana. He moved to Custer County, Nebraska in 1882 and to Broken Bow, Nebraska in 1890 where he farmed. He was deputy treasurer of Custer County from 1890 to 1891. He was elected as a Populist to the United States House of Representatives from 1891 to 1897, serving first the 3rd district and then the 6th district when the number of representatives from Nebraska was increased following the 1890 Census. He did not run for reelection in 1896.

Kem went to Montrose, Colorado to grow fruit and raise cattle. He got back into politics by being elected as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives in 1907. He then moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 1908, where he became interested in electric light and power enterprises. He retired in 1922 and died in Cottage Grove in 1942. He was cremated and the ashes scattered.