Henry Vollmer
Encyclopedia
Henry Vollmer was an attorney, the mayor of Davenport, Iowa
, and a Democratic
U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
. Winning a special election in 1914, he served just over one year in Congress.
Born in Davenport, Vollmer attended the public schools of Davenport. Following graduation from high school, he travelled to Washington, D.C.
to work as a distributing clerk of the Fiftieth
Congress in 1887 and 1888.
He studied law at the University of Iowa
at Iowa City, Iowa
and Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1889 and commenced practice in Davenport.
He served as member of the board of aldermen of Davenport in 1889, as mayor of Davenport from 1893 to 1897, and as a member of the board of education in Davenport from 1898 to 1901.
He later became corporation counsel
for Davenport in 1913 and 1914.
From 1911 to 1913, Iowa's 2nd congressional district was represented by Democrat Irvin S. Pepper
. Pepper died on December 22, 1913, midway through his second term. In a special election held in February 1914, Vollmer defeated Republican Harry E. Hull
, succeeding Pepper in the Sixty-third
Congress. As a Congressman, Vollmer defended the Underwood Tariff, and opposed prohibition
.
Less than two months after winning the special election, Vollmer announced that he would not seek re-election in the regular election in November 1914. Vollmer attributed his decision to family considerations, but Republicans attributed it to the unpopularity in his district of the Underwood tariff. Hull would win the general election and succeed him. In all, Vollmer served from February 10, 1914, to March 3, 1915.
Vollmer resumed the practice of law, while remaining active in local and state democratic politics. He defended his brother, former county attorney Fred Vollmer, who had been indicted for allegedly assisting and abetting a conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act of 1917
by bringing a controversial League of Humanity speaker to Davenport soon after the United States entered World War I
. The 1917 jury trial resulted in a hung jury, and on the retrial, Fred Vollmer pled guilty, paid a fine, and moved to the Los Angeles area.
Henry Vollmer's fiery speeches continued to attract criticism from his opponents and kudos from his supporters. In the late 1920s his family wintered in California while returning to Davenport in the summer. He died in Piedmont, California
, on August 25, 1930. His remains were cremated and the ashes placed in a crypt in the California Crematorium, now the Chapel of the Chimes
, in Oakland, California
.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, and a 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...
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 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....
. Winning a special election in 1914, he served just over one year in Congress.
Born in Davenport, Vollmer attended the public schools of Davenport. Following graduation from high school, he travelled to 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....
to work as a distributing clerk of the Fiftieth
50th United States Congress
The Fiftieth 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, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
Congress in 1887 and 1888.
He studied law at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
at Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
and Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
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....
.
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 1889 and commenced practice in Davenport.
He served as member of the board of aldermen of Davenport in 1889, as mayor of Davenport from 1893 to 1897, and as a member of the board of education in Davenport from 1898 to 1901.
He later became corporation counsel
Corporation Counsel
The Corporation Counsel is the title given to the chief legal officer in some municipal and county jurisdictions, who handles civil claims against the city, including negotiating settlements and defending the city when it is sued. Most corporation counsels do not prosecute criminal cases, though...
for Davenport in 1913 and 1914.
From 1911 to 1913, Iowa's 2nd congressional district was represented by Democrat Irvin S. Pepper
Irvin S. Pepper
Irvin St. Clair Pepper was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Pepper died at age 37, in the middle of his second term in Congress....
. Pepper died on December 22, 1913, midway through his second term. In a special election held in February 1914, Vollmer defeated Republican Harry E. Hull
Harry E. Hull
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....
, succeeding Pepper in the Sixty-third
63rd United States Congress
- House of Representatives:*Democratic : 291 *Republican : 134*Progressive : 9*Independent : 1TOTAL members: 435-Senate:*President of the Senate: Thomas R. Marshall*President pro tempore: James P. Clarke-Senate:...
Congress. As a Congressman, Vollmer defended the Underwood Tariff, and opposed prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
.
Less than two months after winning the special election, Vollmer announced that he would not seek re-election in the regular election in November 1914. Vollmer attributed his decision to family considerations, but Republicans attributed it to the unpopularity in his district of the Underwood tariff. Hull would win the general election and succeed him. In all, Vollmer served from February 10, 1914, to March 3, 1915.
Vollmer resumed the practice of law, while remaining active in local and state democratic politics. He defended his brother, former county attorney Fred Vollmer, who had been indicted for allegedly assisting and abetting a conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act of 1917
Espionage Act of 1917
The Espionage Act of 1917 is a United States federal law passed on June 15, 1917, shortly after the U.S. entry into World War I. It has been amended numerous times over the years. It was originally found in Title 50 of the U.S. Code but is now found under Title 18, Crime...
by bringing a controversial League of Humanity speaker to Davenport soon after the United States entered 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...
. The 1917 jury trial resulted in a hung jury, and on the retrial, Fred Vollmer pled guilty, paid a fine, and moved to the Los Angeles area.
Henry Vollmer's fiery speeches continued to attract criticism from his opponents and kudos from his supporters. In the late 1920s his family wintered in California while returning to Davenport in the summer. He died in Piedmont, California
Piedmont, California
Piedmont is a small, affluent city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is surrounded by the city of Oakland. The population was 10,667 at the 2010 census. Piedmont was incorporated in 1907 and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s...
, on August 25, 1930. His remains were cremated and the ashes placed in a crypt in the California Crematorium, now the Chapel of the Chimes
Chapel of the Chimes (Oakland, California)
Chapel of the Chimes was founded in 1909 as a crematory and columbarium in Oakland, California. The present building dates largely from a 1928 redevelopment based on the designs of the architect Julia Morgan. The Moorish- and Gothic-inspired interior is a maze of small rooms featuring ornate...
, in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.