Editing Eugene V. Debs (section)

==Biography==
===Early life===
Eugene Victor "Gene" Debs was born on November 5, 1855, in [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]], Indiana, to Jean Daniel and Marguerite Mari Bettrich Debs, who immigrated to the United States from [[Colmar]], Alsace, France.{{sfn|Salvatore|1982|p=9}} His father,  who came from a prosperous Protestant family,{{sfn|Salvatore|1982|p=9}} owned a textile mill and meat market.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} Debs was named after the French authors [[Eugène Sue]] and [[Victor Hugo]].<ref name="socialistworker">{{cite magazine |last=Roberts |first=Bill |date=July 20, 2007 |title=Eugene V. Debs and the U.S. Socialist Tradition |url=http://www.socialistworker.org/2007-2/638/638_12_Debs.shtml |magazine=Socialist Worker |issue=638 |pages=12–13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310173710/http://www.socialistworker.org/2007-2/638/638_12_Debs.shtml |archive-date=2008-03-10 |access-date=2007-07-19}}</ref>

[[File:Eugene Debs and Vandalia Railroad painters.png|thumb|left|Debs (seated far left) and painters for the [[Vandalia Railroad (1905–17)|Vandalia Railroad]] in 1870.]]
{{Socialism US|people}}

Debs attended public school, dropping out of high school at age 14.<ref name=RTimes>{{cite news |date=September 2, 1895 |title=Biographical: Eugene V. Debs |work=Railway Times |volume=2 |issue=17 |location=Chicago |page=2}}</ref> He took a job with the [[Vandalia Railroad (1905–1917)|Vandalia Railroad]] cleaning grease from the [[bogie|trucks]] of freight engines for fifty cents a day. He later became a painter and car cleaner in the railroad shops.<ref name=RTimes /> In December 1871, when a drunken [[fireman (steam engine)|locomotive fireman]] failed to report for work, Debs was pressed into service as a night fireman. He decided to remain a fireman on the run between Terre Haute and Indianapolis, earning more than a dollar a night for the next three and half years.<ref name=RTimes /> In July 1875, Debs left to work at a wholesale grocery house, where he remained for four years<ref name=RTimes /> while attending a local business school at night.<ref name=bio>{{cite web |title=Eugene Victor Debs 1855–1926 |url=http://www.eugenevdebs.com/pages/history.html |location=Terre Haute, Indiana |publisher=Eugene V. Debs Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505031225/http://www.eugenevdebs.com/pages/history.html |archive-date=May 5, 2008 |access-date=2008-07-22}}</ref>

Debs joined the [[Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen|Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen]] (BLF) in February 1875 and became active in the organization. In 1877 he served as a delegate of the Terre Haute lodge to the organization's national convention.<ref name=RTimes /> Debs was elected associate editor of the BLF's monthly organ, ''Firemen's Magazine'', in 1878. Two years later, he was appointed Grand Secretary and Treasurer of the BLF and editor of the magazine in July 1880.<ref name=RTimes /><ref>{{cite news |title=Removal of W. N. Sayre, Grand Secretary B.L.F. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/34979723/?match=1&terms=%22eugene%20debs%22%20%22terre%20haute%22 |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=[[Indianapolis News]] |date=16 July 1880 |location=Indianapolis}}</ref> He worked as a BLF functionary until February 1893<ref>{{cite news |title=Eugene Debs, Secretary of the Firemen's Brotherhood, Retires To-day. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/763457362/?match=1&terms=%22Eugene%20Debs%22%20%22grand%20secretary%22 |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=[[Evansville Courier and Press]] |date=1 February 1893 |location=Evansville}}</ref> and as the magazine's editor until September 1894.<ref name=RTimes />

At the same time, he became a prominent figure in the community. He served two terms as Terre Haute's city clerk from September 1879 to September 1883.<ref name=RTimes /> In the autumn of 1884, he was elected as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to represent [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]] and [[Vigo County, Indiana|Vigo County]] in the [[Indiana General Assembly]]. He served for one term in 1885.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite book|title=Brevier Legislative Reports|page=16|url=https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15078coll21/id/6322|volume=22|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|date=1885}}</ref>

===Marriage and family===
Debs married Katherine "Kate" Metzel on June 9, 1885, at St. Stephen's Episcopal church.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uJzZDbmFASkC&q=Episcopal|isbn=978-0252011481|title=Eugene V. Debs: Citizen and Socialist|year=1982|publisher=University of Illinois Press}}</ref>{{sfnm |1a1=Constantine |1a2=Malmgreen |1y=1983 |1p=8 |2a1=Salvatore |2y=1982 |2p=52}} [[Eugene V. Debs Home|Their home]] still stands in Terre Haute, preserved on the campus of [[Indiana State University]].