Cyrenus Cole
Encyclopedia
Cyrenus Cole was a newspaper editor, columnist and historian
, then a Republican
U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 5th congressional district
for over eleven years.
Born near Pella, Iowa
, Cole graduated from Central College in Pella
in 1887. He was an associate editor at The Iowa State Register, then the editor and (until 1913) co-owner of The Cedar Rapids Republican. He was also the author of many books, including "A History of the People of Iowa," "Iowa Through the Years," and "The Farmer in Politics and Prosperity." He also owned two farms near Pella.
While serving as editor, Cole was very active in one of the two factions of the Iowa Republican Party — known as the "stand-patters," a more conservative alternative to the party's progressive wing
.
In late 1920, James W. Good, the Republican U.S. Representative for Iowa's 5th congressional district (which included Cedar Rapids) indicated he would resign the following year. Cole easily prevailed in the district convention called to nominate a Republican candidate to fill the vacancy, and defeated his Democratic
adversary in the July 1921 race. Cole was sworn into office on August 1, 1921, as a member of the sixty-seventh
Congress.
Cole won re-election four times, but by increasingly narrow margins in 1928 and 1930. He was considered a "dry" (supporter of prohibition
) in the ongoing legislative controversy over the repeal of prohibition. In 1932, he elected not to seek re-election, following reapportionment that left him and another incumbent ("wet" Democrat Bernhard M. Jacobsen
of Clinton
) in a reconstituted 2nd congressional district
that included several new counties in which Cole's "dry" stance on prohibition was unpopular. Jacobsen, and many other Democrats, won in the Roosevelt landslide. In all, Cole served in Congress from August 1, 1921 to March 3, 1933.
Cole returned to writing, publishing several other books, including his memoirs. He died on November 14, 1939, in Washington, D.C.
, and was interred in the First Dutch Reform Church Cemetery, near Pella.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, then 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...
U.S. Representative
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's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of Western Iowa and includes the cities of Council Bluffs and Sioux City...
for over eleven years.
Born near Pella, Iowa
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...
, Cole graduated from Central College in Pella
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...
in 1887. He was an associate editor at The Iowa State Register, then the editor and (until 1913) co-owner of The Cedar Rapids Republican. He was also the author of many books, including "A History of the People of Iowa," "Iowa Through the Years," and "The Farmer in Politics and Prosperity." He also owned two farms near Pella.
While serving as editor, Cole was very active in one of the two factions of the Iowa Republican Party — known as the "stand-patters," a more conservative alternative to the party's progressive wing
Progressive Republican Party
The Progressive Republican Party was the second political party after Republican People's Party in Turkey. It was established by Ali Fuat Cebesoy, Kâzım Karabekir, Refet Bele, Rauf Orbay and Adnan Adıvar on 17 October 1924...
.
In late 1920, James W. Good, the Republican U.S. Representative for Iowa's 5th congressional district (which included Cedar Rapids) indicated he would resign the following year. Cole easily prevailed in the district convention called to nominate a Republican candidate to fill the vacancy, and defeated his Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
adversary in the July 1921 race. Cole was sworn into office on August 1, 1921, as a member of the 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...
Congress.
Cole won re-election four times, but by increasingly narrow margins in 1928 and 1930. He was considered a "dry" (supporter of prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
) in the ongoing legislative controversy over the repeal of prohibition. In 1932, he elected not to seek re-election, following reapportionment that left him and another incumbent ("wet" Democrat Bernhard M. Jacobsen
Bernhard M. Jacobsen
Bernhard Martin Jacobsen was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa who served nearly three full terms during the Great Depression. He was the father of William S. Jacobsen, who succeeded him in Congress following his death....
of Clinton
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
) in a reconstituted 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that generally covers most of the southeastern part of the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.The district is currently represented by Democrat Dave Loebsack....
that included several new counties in which Cole's "dry" stance on prohibition was unpopular. Jacobsen, and many other Democrats, won in the Roosevelt landslide. In all, Cole served in Congress from August 1, 1921 to March 3, 1933.
Cole returned to writing, publishing several other books, including his memoirs. He died on November 14, 1939, 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....
, and was interred in the First Dutch Reform Church Cemetery, near Pella.