John A. T. Hull
Encyclopedia
John Albert Tiffin Hull (May 1, 1841 - September 26, 1928) was a ten-term Republican U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 7th congressional district
. He had earlier served two terms as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
and three terms as Iowa Secretary of State
.
, Hull moved with his parents to Iowa in 1849.
He attended public schools, Indiana Asbury (now De Pauw) University in Greencastle, Indiana
, and Iowa Wesleyan College
in Mount Pleasant, Iowa
. He graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in the spring of 1862, was admitted to the bar
the same year, and commenced practice in Des Moines, Iowa
.
In July 1862, during the Civil War
, he enlisted in the Twenty-third Regiment of the Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was a first lieutenant and captain, resigning due to wounds in October 1863.
Hull engaged in agricultural pursuits and banking.
He was elected Secretary of the Iowa Senate
in 1872, then reelected in 1874, 1876, and 1878. He was elected Iowa Secretary of State in 1878 ( and reelected in 1880 and 1882). He was then elected Lieutenant Governor in 1885 (and reelected in 1887).
In 1890, Hull was elected as a Republican
to the U.S. House seat for Iowa's 7th congressional district, which included Iowa's largest city (Des Moines). The Fifty-second
Congress was unusual for its era, because, for the first time since the Civil War, Iowans had elected more Democrats than Republicans to the U.S. House. Two years, later, however, there was a Republican resurgence in Iowa, commencing a two-decade era in which Republicans held at least ten of Iowa's eleven House seats. During that era, Hull was re-elected nine times. He served as chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs
from the Fifty-fourth
through Sixty-first
Congresses. He was considered a "standpatter," and a lieutenant of controversial House Speaker "Uncle Joe" Cannon
.
In 1910, U.S. Senator Albert B. Cummins
, the leader of the Iowa Republican Party's progressive wing, targeted Hull for defeat, by giving his early endorsement to a progressive adversary, Solomon F. Prouty
, whom Hull had defeated in three earlier contests for Republican renomination. This time, Prouty defeated Hull in the Republican primary, carrying every county. However, two voters wrote in Hull's name for the Prohibition Party nomination, enough to give Hull that party's nomination. Nevertheless, Prouty went on to win the general election. In all, Hull served in Congress from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1911.
After leaving Congress, Hull resumed the practice of law, this time in Washington, D.C.
. He retired in 1916, died in Clarendon, Virginia
on September 26, 1928, and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery
.
His son, Major General John A. Hull, served as Judge Advocate General (1924–1928) and later as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
(1932–1936).
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 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 had earlier served two terms as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
This is a List of Lieutenant Governors of the U.S. state of Iowa, 1858 to present. In Iowa, the Lieutenant Governor and the governor run together on the same ticket. Before the 1998 Election, the law was changed from the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor running separately....
and three terms as Iowa Secretary of State
Iowa Secretary of State
The Iowa Secretary of State is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Iowa and is elected every four years. The Office of the Secretary of State is divided into four divisions: Elections and Voter Registration, Business Services, Administrative Services, and Communications and Publications...
.
Biography
Born in Sabina, OhioSabina, Ohio
Sabina is a village in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 2,780.-History:The town of Sabina was laid out by Warren Sabin, after whom it was named, in 1830, on land originally entered by P. Neville. The original plat of the town was...
, Hull moved with his parents to Iowa in 1849.
He attended public schools, Indiana Asbury (now De Pauw) University in Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
, and Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
in Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
. He graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in the spring of 1862, 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...
the same year, and commenced practice 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...
.
In July 1862, during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted in the Twenty-third Regiment of the Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was a first lieutenant and captain, resigning due to wounds in October 1863.
Hull engaged in agricultural pursuits and banking.
He was elected Secretary of the Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
in 1872, then reelected in 1874, 1876, and 1878. He was elected Iowa Secretary of State in 1878 ( and reelected in 1880 and 1882). He was then elected Lieutenant Governor in 1885 (and reelected in 1887).
In 1890, 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 the U.S. House seat for Iowa's 7th congressional district, which included Iowa's largest city (Des Moines). The Fifty-second
52nd United States Congress
The Fifty-second 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...
Congress was unusual for its era, because, for the first time since the Civil War, Iowans had elected more Democrats than Republicans to the U.S. House. Two years, later, however, there was a Republican resurgence in Iowa, commencing a two-decade era in which Republicans held at least ten of Iowa's eleven House seats. During that era, Hull was re-elected nine times. He served as chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
from the Fifty-fourth
54th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Leadership:- Senate :* President: Adlai E. Stevenson * President pro tempore: William P. Frye - Majority leadership :* Republican Conference Chairman: John Sherman- Minority leadership :...
through Sixty-first
61st United States Congress
The Sixty-first 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, 1909 to March 4, 1911, during the first two years of...
Congresses. He was considered a "standpatter," and a lieutenant of controversial House Speaker "Uncle Joe" Cannon
Joseph Gurney Cannon
Joseph Gurney Cannon was a United States politician from Illinois and leader of the Republican Party. Cannon served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 1911, and historians generally consider him to be the most dominant Speaker in United States history, with such...
.
In 1910, U.S. Senator Albert B. Cummins
Albert B. Cummins
Albert Baird Cummins was the 18th Governor of Iowa, U.S. Senator and two-time presidential candidate. Cummins was perhaps the most influential leader in Iowa politics in the first quarter of the 20th century...
, the leader of the Iowa Republican Party's progressive wing, targeted Hull for defeat, by giving his early endorsement to a progressive adversary, Solomon F. Prouty
Solomon F. Prouty
Solomon Francis Prouty was a one-term state legislator, Iowa trial court judge and a two-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 7th congressional district....
, whom Hull had defeated in three earlier contests for Republican renomination. This time, Prouty defeated Hull in the Republican primary, carrying every county. However, two voters wrote in Hull's name for the Prohibition Party nomination, enough to give Hull that party's nomination. Nevertheless, Prouty went on to win the general election. In all, Hull served in Congress from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1911.
After leaving Congress, Hull resumed the practice of law, this time 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 retired in 1916, died in Clarendon, Virginia
Clarendon, Virginia
Clarendon is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, located between the Rosslyn area and the Ballston area. The main thoroughfares are Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard .-Boundaries and geography:...
on September 26, 1928, and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
His son, Major General John A. Hull, served as Judge Advocate General (1924–1928) and later as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
(1932–1936).