Terence V. Powderly Terence Vincent Powderly ( January 22 , 1849 -- June 24 , 1924 ) was an Irish-American politician and labor union leader , best known as head of the Knights of Labor in the late 1880s .
Terence V. Powderly Terence Vincent Powderly ( 22 January 1849 -- 24 June 1924 ) was an Irish-American politician and labor union leader .