Harry E. Hull
Encyclopedia
Harry Edward Hull was a five-term Republican U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
, and Commissioner General of Immigration in the Coolidge and Hoover administrations.
Born near Belvidere, New York, Hull moved with his parents to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, in 1873.
He attended the grammar and high schools.
He was employed as a clerk and bookkeeper for a grain company.
He moved to Palo, Iowa
, in 1883, and to Williamsburg, Iowa
, in 1884 and engaged in the grain business.
He also engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile.
He was president of the Williamsburg Telephone Co..
He served as one of Williamsburg's aldermen from 1887 to 1889, as its mayor from 1889 to 1901, and as its postmaster from 1901 to 1914.
He also served as president of the Williamsburg Fair Association from 1900 to 1915.
In 1914, Hull was elected as a Republican
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House, defeating Democrat W.J. McDonald. He served in the Sixty-fourth
Congress and in the four succeeding Congresses. He was one of only fifty representatives who voted against the resolution authorizing the United States' entry into World War I
, and one of the few of those fifty to stave off challengers in the wartime primary and general elections in 1918.
In May 1917, during Hull's second term, his wife, Mary Louise Harris Hull, died when she mistook poison tablets for a headache remedy.
When seeking renomination in 1924, he was defeated in the Republican primary by Judge F. Dickinson Letts
. In all, he served from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1925.
On May 15, 1925, He was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge
as Commissioner General of Immigration and served in that position until 1933, when he retired.
He continued to reside in Washington, D.C.
, until his death there on January 16, 1938. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Williamsburg.
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 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....
, and Commissioner General of Immigration in the Coolidge and Hoover administrations.
Born near Belvidere, New York, Hull moved with his parents to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, in 1873.
He attended the grammar and high schools.
He was employed as a clerk and bookkeeper for a grain company.
He moved to Palo, Iowa
Palo, Iowa
Palo is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 614 at the 2000 census; a special census in 2006 counted 899 residents. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, in 1883, and to Williamsburg, Iowa
Williamsburg, Iowa
Williamsburg is a city in Iowa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,622 at the 2000 census. Williamsburg is known for Holden's Foundation Seeds...
, in 1884 and engaged in the grain business.
He also engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile.
He was president of the Williamsburg Telephone Co..
He served as one of Williamsburg's aldermen from 1887 to 1889, as its mayor from 1889 to 1901, and as its postmaster from 1901 to 1914.
He also served as president of the Williamsburg Fair Association from 1900 to 1915.
In 1914, Hull 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 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House, defeating Democrat W.J. McDonald. He served 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...
Congress and in the four succeeding Congresses. He was one of only fifty representatives who voted against the resolution authorizing the United States' entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and one of the few of those fifty to stave off challengers in the wartime primary and general elections in 1918.
In May 1917, during Hull's second term, his wife, Mary Louise Harris Hull, died when she mistook poison tablets for a headache remedy.
When seeking renomination in 1924, he was defeated in the Republican primary by Judge F. Dickinson Letts
F. Dickinson Letts
Fred Dickinson Letts was a three-term Republican U.S. Representative from eastern Iowa, and a thirty-year federal trial court judge in the District of Columbia.-Life and work:...
. In all, he served from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1925.
On May 15, 1925, He was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
as Commissioner General of Immigration and served in that position until 1933, when he retired.
He continued to reside 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....
, until his death there on January 16, 1938. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Williamsburg.