Cassius C. Dowell
Encyclopedia
Cassius Clay Dowell was a Republican U.S. Representative
from Iowa
. He served from 1915 to his death in 1940, except for a two-year period in 1935-36 resulting from a 1934 election loss.
Born on a farm near the unincorporated town of Summerset, Iowa in Warren County, Dowell attended the public schools, Baptist College in Des Moines, Iowa
, and Simpson College
in Indianola, Iowa
. In 1886 he graduated from the liberal arts
department of Drake University
in Des Moines, Iowa
, and graduated from Drake University Law School
the following year. He was admitted to the bar
in 1888 and commenced practice in Des Moines.
From 1894 to 1898, Dowell served as member of the Iowa State House of Representatives. He served in the Iowa State Senate from 1902 to 1912.
In 1914, Dowell was elected as a Republican
to represent Iowa's 7th congressional district
. He was re-elected to this seat eight times, until reapportionment between 1930 and 1932 moved his home county into Iowa's 6th congressional district
, prompting him to run for the seat in that district. He won the 1932 race by more than 13,000 votes], surviving the Roosevelt landslide. Yet he was surprised two years later, when former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Hubert Utterback
upset him by over 4,000 votes. He had served nearly twenty years, in the Sixty-fourth
and the nine succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915-January 3, 1935). He had served as chairman of the Committee on Elections (in the Sixty-sixth
and Sixty-seventh
Congresses), and on the Committee on Roads (in the Sixty-eighth
through Seventy-first
Congresses).
Dowell returned to Des Moines to practice law, and reclaimed his seat
two years later in 1936 (when Utterbeck chose not to seek re-election but instead ran for the U.S. Senate). Utterbeck lost in the Senate primary and tried to regain his House seat from Dowell in 1938, but Dowell defeated him decisively
. It would be Dowell's last election.
Dowell filed for re-election in the 1940 race, but died due to heart disease
in Washington, D.C.
, on February 4, 1940. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa
.
In reporting his death, an Iowa newspaper reported that "only rarely did he participate in house debate but his influence upon legislation was strong. He was instrumental in securing veterans' hospitals for Des Moines and Knoxville, in the establishment of Camp Dodge
during war time, and in the erection of an $800,000 federal building on Des Moines' waterfront."
After his death, Republican Robert K. Goodwin
won a special election and thus became Dowell's his immediate successor, but Republican Paul Cunningham
claimed the seat in the 1940 general election.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He served from 1915 to his death in 1940, except for a two-year period in 1935-36 resulting from a 1934 election loss.
Born on a farm near the unincorporated town of Summerset, Iowa in Warren County, Dowell attended the public schools, Baptist College in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, and Simpson College
Simpson College
Simpson College is a four-year, coeducational liberal arts institution situated in Indianola, Iowa, USA, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Simpson, which has been fully accredited by North Central Association since 1913, is a small school with approximately 1,400 full-time students...
in Indianola, Iowa
Indianola, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,998 people, 4,748 households, and 3,261 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,414.7 people per square mile . There were 4,981 housing units at an average density of 542.1 per square mile...
. In 1886 he graduated from the liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
department of Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, and graduated from Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School is a fully accredited law school of Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has over 400 full-time students. The school is presently led by Dean Allan Vestal. The most recent edition of US News and World Report's Best Law Schools ranked Drake in the...
the following year. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1888 and commenced practice in Des Moines.
From 1894 to 1898, Dowell served as member of the Iowa State House of Representatives. He served in the Iowa State Senate from 1902 to 1912.
In 1914, Dowell was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to represent Iowa's 7th congressional district
Iowa's 7th congressional district
Iowa's 7th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It was eliminated after the 1970 election, leaving Iowa with six congressional districts. The state has since been reduced to five congressional districts.-Redistricting:...
. He was re-elected to this seat eight times, until reapportionment between 1930 and 1932 moved his home county into Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It existed from 1862 to 1992, when it was lost due to Iowa's declining population....
, prompting him to run for the seat in that district. He won the 1932 race by more than 13,000 votes], surviving the Roosevelt landslide. Yet he was surprised two years later, when former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Hubert Utterback
Hubert Utterback
Hubert Utterback served very briefly on the Iowa Supreme Court, then was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, serving only one term.-Personal background:...
upset him by over 4,000 votes. He had served nearly twenty years, in the Sixty-fourth
64th United States Congress
The Sixty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1915 to March 4, 1917, during the third and fourth...
and the nine succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915-January 3, 1935). He had served as chairman of the Committee on Elections (in the Sixty-sixth
66th United States Congress
The Sixty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1919 to March 4, 1921, during the last two years of...
and Sixty-seventh
67th United States Congress
The Sixty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, during the first two years...
Congresses), and on the Committee on Roads (in the Sixty-eighth
68th United States Congress
The Sixty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1923 to March 4, 1925, during the last months of...
through Seventy-first
71st United States Congress
The Seventy-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1931, during the first two years...
Congresses).
Dowell returned to Des Moines to practice law, and reclaimed his seat
Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It existed from 1862 to 1992, when it was lost due to Iowa's declining population....
two years later in 1936 (when Utterbeck chose not to seek re-election but instead ran for the U.S. Senate). Utterbeck lost in the Senate primary and tried to regain his House seat from Dowell in 1938, but Dowell defeated him decisively
Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It existed from 1862 to 1992, when it was lost due to Iowa's declining population....
. It would be Dowell's last election.
Dowell filed for re-election in the 1940 race, but died due to heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on February 4, 1940. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.
In reporting his death, an Iowa newspaper reported that "only rarely did he participate in house debate but his influence upon legislation was strong. He was instrumental in securing veterans' hospitals for Des Moines and Knoxville, in the establishment of Camp Dodge
Camp Dodge
Camp Dodge is a military installation in the city of Johnston, Iowa. Centrally located near the capitol of Iowa, it currently serves as the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard. Original construction of the post began in 1907, to provide a place for the National Guard units to train...
during war time, and in the erection of an $800,000 federal building on Des Moines' waterfront."
After his death, Republican Robert K. Goodwin
Robert K. Goodwin
Robert Kingman Goodwin was a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa from a March 1940 special election until the end of his term in January 1941.Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Goodwin attended the public schools....
won a special election and thus became Dowell's his immediate successor, but Republican Paul Cunningham
Paul Cunningham
Paul G. Cunningham is a minister and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene.Cunningham was elected to the highest office in the Church of the Nazarene at the denomination's 23rd General Assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana in July 1993. Prior to his election he served as the senior...
claimed the seat in the 1940 general election.