- Frank Orren Lowden
Frank Orren Lowden (
January 26 1861 –March 20 1943 ) was an American political figure. Born inSunrise Township, Minnesota , [ [http://www.sunrisetownship.com/historymuseums.htm Sunrise Township, MN - History/Museums ] ] he lived inIowa from the age of 7 until his graduation fromIowa State University in 1885. He graduated from Chicago, Illinois'Union College of Law in 1887, and was admitted to the bar the same year. His wife, Florence, was the daughter ofGeorge Pullman . He died inTucson, Arizona and is buried inGraceland Cemetery in Chicago.Political career
He was a Congressional representative from
Illinois , from 1906 until 1911.He was the
Governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921, during which he won wide notice for the major reorganization of state government he spearheaded. He was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 1920, but the delegates deadlocked over several ballots between Lowden and GeneralLeonard Wood , resulting in party leaders meeting privately to determine a compromise candidate. Their choice,Warren G. Harding , went on to win the nomination. In 1924 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 runnerHerbert Hoover , who went on to win the convention and the election.Railroad career
In 1933, Lowden was appointed to be one of three receivers for the
bankrupt Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad . He served in this capacity, until his own death in 1943, with co-receiversJoseph B. Fleming andJames E. Gorman (who had been president of the railroad since 1917).Legacy
The following are named after Governor Lowden: Camp Lowden Boy Scout Camp, Lowden State Park and Lowden-Miller State Forest, all near
Oregon, Illinois ; and two Lowden Halls, located on the campus of the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, IL andNorthern Illinois University inDeKalb, Illinois .Notes
External links
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.