Republicans gained a net total of 24 seats in the 1918 elections, increasing the size of their majority in the House. Gillett was nominated by the Republican caucus for Speaker of the House in the upcoming 66th United States Congress.[5] On May 19, 1919, Congress convened, and he was elected speaker, defeating the Democratic incumbent Champ Clark 228–172.[6] Gillett was expected to exercise less control than his predecessor, since he was characterized by one reporter as someone who did not drink coffee in the morning "for fear it would keep him awake all day".[7] He was reelected as speaker in 1921 and again in 1923.
In 1923, votes cast by the Progressive wing of the GOP resulted in multiple ballots as no Speaker candidate gained a majority. On the ninth ballot, after the Republican leadership agreed to Progressive procedural reforms, Gillet was eventually elected. This was the only time in the 20th century that the House failed to elect a Speaker during the first roll call,[8] and the 14th time in history that election of the Speaker required multiple ballots. The previous occurrence was in 1859 for the 36th Congress, which elected William Pennington after 44 ballots.[9] The next occurrence was in 2023 for the 118th Congress,[10] which elected Kevin McCarthy after 15 ballots.[11]
Gillett decided to run for the United States Senate in 1924. He won the Republican primary easily over two other candidates[12] and then narrowly defeated incumbent Senator David I. Walsh in the Republican landslide of November 1924 led by President Calvin Coolidge, a former governor of Massachusetts.[13] He was at the time the oldest person ever elected to a first term in the Senate, a record that would stand for 98 years.[14]Time magazine chose him for its November 17, 1924 cover.[15] He served one term in the Senate from 1925 to 1931, and decided not to seek re-election in the face of a difficult primary challenge.[16] In June 1930, he declined to state his position on prohibition or its repeal when queried by prohibition advocates.[17]
Personal lifeEdit
On November 25, 1915, Gillett married Christine Rice Hoar, the widow of his former colleague in Congress, Rockwood Hoar.[18] In 1934, he published a biography of George Frisbie Hoar, an earlier congressman and senator from Massachusetts, and his wife's father-in-law from her previous marriage.[19]
During his time in Washington, Gillett spent his free time driving his 1926 Pontiac Coupe and playing golf in the morning. In retirement, he wintered in Pasadena, California. He died in a hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, on July 31, 1935. Gillett was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Westfield.[1]
^"Gillett Dies at 83; A Former Senator" (PDF). The New York Times. July 31, 1935. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903". GovInfo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. November 9, 1903. p. 48. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
^Iversen, Joan Smyth (1997). The Antipolygamy Controversy in U.S. Women's Movements: 1880 - 1925. New York: Routledge. p. 244. ISBN9780815320791.
^"Gillett Chosen for Speakership of Next House" (PDF). The New York Times. February 28, 1919. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^Glass, Andrew (May 19, 2010). "GOP assumes control of Congress, May 19, 1919". Politico. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
^Margulies, Herbert F. (1996). Reconciliation and Revival: James R. Mann and the House Republicans in the Wilson Era. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 191–8. ISBN9780313298172.
^Heitshusen, Valerie; Beth, Richard S. (January 4, 2019). "Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913–2019" (PDF). CRS Report (RL30857). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
^"Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots". US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
^Andersen, Travis (January 3, 2023). "The last time a House speaker vote went to multiple ballots? It was 100 years ago, for Mass. Republican". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via MSN.
^"Kevin McCarthy elected House Speaker, breaking historic deadlock". Washington Post. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
^"Gillett is Victor in Senate Contest; Couzens is Trailing" (PDF). The New York Times. September 10, 1924. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"Republicans Make Gains in Congress" (PDF). The New York Times. November 5, 1924. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^Fedor, Lauren (January 2, 2023). "First-time senators take their seats as Democrats maintain slim majority". Financial Times. London. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
^. Time. November 17, 1924. Archived from the original on November 6, 2007. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"Observations from Times Watch-Towers" (PDF). The New York Times. September 8, 1929. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"Women Taking Poll Say Many Senators Didge the Dry Issue" (PDF). The New York Times. June 9, 1930. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"Gillett-Hoar Wedding" (PDF). The New York Times. November 26, 1915. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
^"Senator Hoar" (PDF). The New York Times. December 16, 1934. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
External linksEdit
Gillett Family Papers at the Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
frederick, gillett, frederick, huntington, gillett, october, 1851, july, 1935, american, politician, served, massachusetts, state, government, both, houses, congress, between, 1879, 1931, including, years, speaker, house, representatives, united, states, senat. Frederick Huntington Gillett dʒ ɪ ˈ l ɛ t October 16 1851 July 31 1935 was an American politician who served in the Massachusetts state government and both houses of the U S Congress between 1879 and 1931 including six years as Speaker of the U S House of Representatives Frederick H GillettUnited States Senatorfrom MassachusettsIn office March 4 1925 March 3 1931Preceded byDavid I WalshSucceeded byMarcus A Coolidge37th Speaker of the United States House of RepresentativesIn office May 19 1919 March 3 1925Preceded byChamp ClarkSucceeded byNicholas LongworthLeader of the House Republican ConferenceIn office May 19 1919 March 3 1925Preceded byJames Robert MannSucceeded byNicholas LongworthMember of the U S House of Representatives from Massachusetts s 2nd districtIn office March 4 1893 March 3 1925Preceded byElijah A MorseSucceeded byGeorge B ChurchillMember of the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesIn office 1890 1891Personal detailsBornFrederick Huntington Gillett 1851 10 16 October 16 1851Westfield Massachusetts U S DiedJuly 31 1935 1935 07 31 aged 83 Springfield Massachusetts U S Resting placePine Hill Cemetery Westfield MassachusettsPolitical partyRepublicanSpouseChristine Rice HoarAlma materAmherst CollegeHarvard UniversityProfessionLawyer Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life and education Edit Gillett in 1920Frederick H Gillett was born in Westfield Massachusetts to Edward Bates Gillett 1817 1899 and Lucy Fowler Gillett 1830 1916 He graduated from Amherst College where he was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity in 1874 and Harvard Law School in 1877 He entered the practice of law in Springfield in 1877 1 Career Edit Time cover November 17 1924Gillett was the Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts from 1879 to 1882 For two one year terms he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives He was elected to the Fifty third United States Congress in 1892 2 A Republican Gillett served in the United States House of Representatives from 1893 to 1925 3 On January 24 1914 he introduced legislation to initiate the adoption of an Anti Polygamy Amendment to the U S Constitution 4 Republicans gained a net total of 24 seats in the 1918 elections increasing the size of their majority in the House Gillett was nominated by the Republican caucus for Speaker of the House in the upcoming 66th United States Congress 5 On May 19 1919 Congress convened and he was elected speaker defeating the Democratic incumbent Champ Clark 228 172 6 Gillett was expected to exercise less control than his predecessor since he was characterized by one reporter as someone who did not drink coffee in the morning for fear it would keep him awake all day 7 He was reelected as speaker in 1921 and again in 1923 In 1923 votes cast by the Progressive wing of the GOP resulted in multiple ballots as no Speaker candidate gained a majority On the ninth ballot after the Republican leadership agreed to Progressive procedural reforms Gillet was eventually elected This was the only time in the 20th century that the House failed to elect a Speaker during the first roll call 8 and the 14th time in history that election of the Speaker required multiple ballots The previous occurrence was in 1859 for the 36th Congress which elected William Pennington after 44 ballots 9 The next occurrence was in 2023 for the 118th Congress 10 which elected Kevin McCarthy after 15 ballots 11 Gillett decided to run for the United States Senate in 1924 He won the Republican primary easily over two other candidates 12 and then narrowly defeated incumbent Senator David I Walsh in the Republican landslide of November 1924 led by President Calvin Coolidge a former governor of Massachusetts 13 He was at the time the oldest person ever elected to a first term in the Senate a record that would stand for 98 years 14 Time magazine chose him for its November 17 1924 cover 15 He served one term in the Senate from 1925 to 1931 and decided not to seek re election in the face of a difficult primary challenge 16 In June 1930 he declined to state his position on prohibition or its repeal when queried by prohibition advocates 17 Personal life EditOn November 25 1915 Gillett married Christine Rice Hoar the widow of his former colleague in Congress Rockwood Hoar 18 In 1934 he published a biography of George Frisbie Hoar an earlier congressman and senator from Massachusetts and his wife s father in law from her previous marriage 19 During his time in Washington Gillett spent his free time driving his 1926 Pontiac Coupe and playing golf in the morning In retirement he wintered in Pasadena California He died in a hospital in Springfield Massachusetts on July 31 1935 Gillett was buried at Pine Hill Cemetery in Westfield 1 References Edit a b Bioguide Search bioguide congress gov Gillett Dies at 83 A Former Senator PDF The New York Times July 31 1935 Retrieved June 26 2013 S Doc 58 1 Fifty eighth Congress Extraordinary session beginning November 9 1903 Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A J Halford Special edition Corrections made to November 5 1903 GovInfo gov U S Government Printing Office November 9 1903 p 48 Retrieved July 2 2023 Iversen Joan Smyth 1997 The Antipolygamy Controversy in U S Women s Movements 1880 1925 New York Routledge p 244 ISBN 9780815320791 Gillett Chosen for Speakership of Next House PDF The New York Times February 28 1919 Retrieved June 26 2013 Glass Andrew May 19 2010 GOP assumes control of Congress May 19 1919 Politico Retrieved July 9 2019 Margulies Herbert F 1996 Reconciliation and Revival James R Mann and the House Republicans in the Wilson Era Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press pp 191 8 ISBN 9780313298172 Heitshusen Valerie Beth Richard S January 4 2019 Speakers of the House Elections 1913 2019 PDF CRS Report RL30857 Washington D C Congressional Research Service Retrieved July 9 2019 Speaker Elections Decided by Multiple Ballots US House of Representatives History Art amp Archives Retrieved January 3 2023 Andersen Travis January 3 2023 The last time a House speaker vote went to multiple ballots It was 100 years ago for Mass Republican The Boston Globe Retrieved January 3 2023 via MSN Kevin McCarthy elected House Speaker breaking historic deadlock Washington Post January 6 2023 Retrieved January 7 2023 Gillett is Victor in Senate Contest Couzens is Trailing PDF The New York Times September 10 1924 Retrieved June 26 2013 Republicans Make Gains in Congress PDF The New York Times November 5 1924 Retrieved June 26 2013 Fedor Lauren January 2 2023 First time senators take their seats as Democrats maintain slim majority Financial Times London Retrieved June 15 2023 Frederick Gillett Time November 17 1924 Archived from the original on November 6 2007 Retrieved June 26 2013 Observations from Times Watch Towers PDF The New York Times September 8 1929 Retrieved June 26 2013 Women Taking Poll Say Many Senators Didge the Dry Issue PDF The New York Times June 9 1930 Retrieved June 26 2013 Gillett Hoar Wedding PDF The New York Times November 26 1915 Retrieved June 26 2013 Senator Hoar PDF The New York Times December 16 1934 Retrieved June 26 2013 External links EditGillett Family Papers at the Amherst College Archives amp Special Collections United States Congress Frederick H Gillett id G000201 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Rockwood Hoar Papers Archived 2007 10 24 at the Wayback Machine Westfield Athenaeum ArchivesParty political officesPreceded byJohn W Weeks Republican nominee for U S Senator from Massachusetts Class 2 1924 Succeeded byWilliam M ButlerU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byElijah A Morse Member of the U S House of Representatives from Massachusetts s 2nd congressional districtMarch 4 1893 March 3 1925 Succeeded byGeorge B ChurchillPolitical officesPreceded byChamp Clark Speaker of the United States House of RepresentativesMay 19 1919 March 4 1921 April 11 1921 March 3 1923 December 3 1923 March 3 1925 Succeeded byNicholas LongworthU S SenatePreceded byDavid I Walsh U S senator Class 2 from MassachusettsMarch 4 1925 March 3 1931 Served alongside William M Butler David I Walsh Succeeded byMarcus A Coolidge Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frederick H Gillett amp oldid 1170253365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
