Born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota, Lowden practiced law in Chicago after graduating from the University of Iowa. He emerged as a local Republican leader and served in the House of Representatives from 1906 to 1911. He served as Governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921, earning wide notice for his reorganization of state government and his handling of the Chicago race riot of 1919.
Time cover, October 15, 1923Lowden's official portrait as Governor of Illinois
Early political careerEdit
In 1900, Lowden declined the first assistant postmaster-generalship, offered him by President McKinley, whom he had supported. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1900 and 1904, and from 1904 to 1912 was a member of the Republican National Committee. He was also a member of the executive committee in 1904 and 1908.
Lowden was elected a U.S. Representative from Illinois in 1906 to fill the unexpired term of Robert R. Hitt, deceased. He was re-elected for succeeding terms until 1911, when he declined to run for another term.[5]
Governor of Illinois (1917-1921)Edit
From 1917 to 1921, he was the Governor of Illinois. While governor, he won wide notice for the major reorganization of state government he spearheaded. He introduced the budget system for state expenditure, thereby reducing the rate of taxation in spite of rising prices.[5]
He was a strong supporter of the death penalty, and when in 1918 both houses of the Illinois General Assembly voted to abolish capital punishment, he vetoed the bill. He was energetic in marshalling the resources of his state in support of the United States' World War I effort.
In 1917, when the mayor of Chicago refused to interfere with a meeting of the People's Council, an organization accused of pro-Germanism, he ordered out the state troops to prevent the meeting. He favoured woman suffrage and the enforcement of the Volstead Act for war-time prohibition. He was opposed to the League of Nations without reservations, on the ground that it would create a super-state.[5] He gained nationwide stature for his handling of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 and a simultaneous transit strike in Chicago.[6]
1920 presidential election and aftermathEdit
He was a leading candidate for the Republicannomination for president in 1920. His campaign was embarrassed by reports of profligate spending. His Missouri campaign manager gave out $32,000 to promote his campaign, including $2,500 (a laborer's annual wage) to at least two convention delegates.[7]
Delegates at the Republican convention deadlocked over several ballots between Lowden and General Leonard Wood, resulting in party leaders meeting privately to determine a compromise candidate. Their choice, Warren G. Harding, went on to win the nomination.
In the 1924 election, he declined the Republican nomination for vice president. In 1928, he again positioned himself to run for the party's nomination, but he was never much more than a minor threat to front runner Herbert Hoover, who went on to win the presidential nomination and the election.
Railroad careerEdit
Lowden's grave at Graceland Cemetery
In 1933, Lowden was appointed to be one of three receivers for the bankruptChicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. He served in this capacity with co-receivers Joseph B. Fleming and James E. Gorman (the latter had been president of the railroad since 1917) until his death in 1943 in Tucson, Arizona. His remains are buried in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago.
LegacyEdit
The following are named after Lowden: Camp Lowden Boy Scout Camp, Lowden State Park and Lowden-Miller State Forest, all near his estate outside Oregon, Illinois; the Frank O. Lowden Homes in Chicago; and two Lowden Halls, located on the campus of the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
NotesEdit
^ ab"Guide to the Frank O. Lowden Papers circa 1870-1943". University of Chicago Library. 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
^Fullilove-Nugent, Margaret (April 1994). . Illinois History. DeKalb, Illinois: Illinois Periodicals Online - Northern Illinois University Libraries. pp. 60–61. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
^"Frank O. Lowden and Miss Florence Pullman" (PDF). The New York Times. March 21, 1896. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
^History/Museums April 1, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at sunrisetownship.com
^ abcdeChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). "Lowden, Frank Orren" . Encyclopædia Britannica (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company.
^Krist, Gary (2012). City of Scoundrels: The Twelve Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago. New York: Crown. pp. 220–221. ISBN978--0-307-45429-4. LCCN 2012032098.
frank, orren, lowden, january, 1861, march, 1943, american, republican, party, politician, served, 25th, governor, illinois, united, states, representative, from, illinois, also, candidate, republican, presidential, nominations, 1920, 1928, frank, lowdenlowden. Frank Orren Lowden January 26 1861 March 20 1943 was an American Republican Party politician who served as the 25th Governor of Illinois and as a United States Representative from Illinois He was also a candidate for the Republican presidential nominations in 1920 and 1928 Frank LowdenLowden c 192125th Governor of IllinoisIn office January 8 1917 January 10 1921LieutenantJohn G OglesbyPreceded byEdward DunneSucceeded byLen SmallMember of the U S House of Representatives from Illinois s 13th districtIn office November 6 1906 March 3 1911Preceded byRobert R HittSucceeded byJohn C McKenziePersonal detailsBorn 1861 01 26 January 26 1861Sunrise Minnesota U S DiedMarch 20 1943 1943 03 20 aged 82 Tucson Arizona U S Resting placeGraceland CemeteryPolitical partyRepublicanSpouseFlorence Pullman 1896 1937 Children3EducationUniversity of Iowa BA Northwestern University LLB Signature 1 2 3 Born in Sunrise Township Minnesota Lowden practiced law in Chicago after graduating from the University of Iowa He emerged as a local Republican leader and served in the House of Representatives from 1906 to 1911 He served as Governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921 earning wide notice for his reorganization of state government and his handling of the Chicago race riot of 1919 At the 1920 Republican National Convention Lowden was the preferred candidate of many of the party s conservatives His supporters coalesced behind Warren G Harding as a compromise candidate and Harding won both the nomination and the 1920 presidential election Lowden was nominated for vice president at the 1924 Republican National Convention but he declined the nomination Lowden was a candidate for president at the 1928 Republican National Convention but Herbert Hoover won the nomination on the first ballot Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 2 1 Early political career 2 2 Governor of Illinois 1917 1921 2 3 1920 presidential election and aftermath 3 Railroad career 4 Legacy 5 Notes 6 Bibliography 7 External linksEarly life EditLowden was born in Sunrise Township Minnesota 4 the son of Nancy Elizabeth Breg and Lorenzo Orren Lowden a blacksmith He lived in Iowa from the age of seven on the farm in Hardin County Iowa in poverty He attended school when chores on the family farm allowed At age fifteen he began to teach in a one room school house in Hubbard Iowa After teaching five years he entered the University of Iowa at twenty graduating in 1885 He aspired to be a lawyer but taught high school for a year while learning stenography That skill got him a job in 1886 at the Dexter law firm in Chicago and he took evening courses at the Union College of Law completing the two year curriculum in one year finishing as valedictorian in 1887 He was admitted to the bar the same year and practiced law in Chicago for about 20 years 5 His wife Florence was the daughter of George Pullman In 1899 he was professor of law at Northwestern University Evanston Illinois 1 5 Political career Edit nbsp Time cover October 15 1923 nbsp Lowden s official portrait as Governor of IllinoisEarly political career Edit In 1900 Lowden declined the first assistant postmaster generalship offered him by President McKinley whom he had supported He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1900 and 1904 and from 1904 to 1912 was a member of the Republican National Committee He was also a member of the executive committee in 1904 and 1908 Lowden was elected a U S Representative from Illinois in 1906 to fill the unexpired term of Robert R Hitt deceased He was re elected for succeeding terms until 1911 when he declined to run for another term 5 Governor of Illinois 1917 1921 Edit From 1917 to 1921 he was the Governor of Illinois While governor he won wide notice for the major reorganization of state government he spearheaded He introduced the budget system for state expenditure thereby reducing the rate of taxation in spite of rising prices 5 He was a strong supporter of the death penalty and when in 1918 both houses of the Illinois General Assembly voted to abolish capital punishment he vetoed the bill He was energetic in marshalling the resources of his state in support of the United States World War I effort In 1917 when the mayor of Chicago refused to interfere with a meeting of the People s Council an organization accused of pro Germanism he ordered out the state troops to prevent the meeting He favoured woman suffrage and the enforcement of the Volstead Act for war time prohibition He was opposed to the League of Nations without reservations on the ground that it would create a super state 5 He gained nationwide stature for his handling of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 and a simultaneous transit strike in Chicago 6 1920 presidential election and aftermath Edit He was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 1920 His campaign was embarrassed by reports of profligate spending His Missouri campaign manager gave out 32 000 to promote his campaign including 2 500 a laborer s annual wage to at least two convention delegates 7 Delegates at the Republican convention deadlocked over several ballots between Lowden and General Leonard Wood resulting in party leaders meeting privately to determine a compromise candidate Their choice Warren G Harding went on to win the nomination In the 1924 election he declined the Republican nomination for vice president In 1928 he again positioned himself to run for the party s nomination but he was never much more than a minor threat to front runner Herbert Hoover who went on to win the presidential nomination and the election Railroad career Edit nbsp Lowden s grave at Graceland CemeteryIn 1933 Lowden was appointed to be one of three receivers for the bankrupt Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad He served in this capacity with co receivers Joseph B Fleming and James E Gorman the latter had been president of the railroad since 1917 until his death in 1943 in Tucson Arizona His remains are buried in Graceland Cemetery Chicago Legacy EditThe following are named after Lowden Camp Lowden Boy Scout Camp Lowden State Park and Lowden Miller State Forest all near his estate outside Oregon Illinois the Frank O Lowden Homes in Chicago and two Lowden Halls located on the campus of the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb Notes Edit a b Guide to the Frank O Lowden Papers circa 1870 1943 University of Chicago Library 2011 Retrieved December 24 2013 Fullilove Nugent Margaret April 1994 Lowden of Sinnissippi Illinois History DeKalb Illinois Illinois Periodicals Online Northern Illinois University Libraries pp 60 61 Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved December 25 2013 Frank O Lowden and Miss Florence Pullman PDF The New York Times March 21 1896 Retrieved November 22 2021 History Museums Archived April 1 2008 at the Wayback Machine at sunrisetownship com a b c d e Chisholm Hugh ed 1922 Lowden Frank Orren Encyclopaedia Britannica 12th ed London amp New York The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company Krist Gary 2012 City of Scoundrels The Twelve Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago New York Crown pp 220 221 ISBN 978 0 307 45429 4 LCCN 2012032098 Shlaes Amity 2013 Coolidge New York HarperCollins p 196 ISBN 978 0 06 196755 9 LCCN 2012032098 Bibliography EditHutchinson William T 1957 Lowden of Illinois The Life of Frank O Lowden University of Chicago Press LCCN 57006274 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frank Orren Lowden United States Congress Frank Orren Lowden id L000472 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Works by or about Frank Orren Lowden at Internet ArchiveU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byRobert R Hitt Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom Illinois s 13th congressional district1906 1911 Succeeded byJohn C McKenzieParty political officesPreceded byCharles S Deneen Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois1916 Succeeded byLen SmallPreceded byCalvin Coolidge Republican nominee for Vice President of the United StatesWithdrew1924 Succeeded byCharles G DawesPolitical officesPreceded byEdward Dunne Governor of Illinois1917 1921 Succeeded byLen SmallAwards and achievementsPreceded byH H Asquith Cover of Time15 October 1923 Succeeded byJohn W Weeks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frank Orren Lowden amp oldid 1168636516, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
