Marsena E. Cutts
Encyclopedia
Marsena Edgar Cutts was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and teacher from Iowa
.
Born in Orwell, Vermont
, Cutts attended common schools in his native village and later attended St. Lawrence Academy in Potsdam, New York
. He moved to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
in 1853 where he taught school for two years and studied law. He moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa
in 1855, continued to study law and was admitted to the bar the same year, commencing practice in Montezuma, Iowa
. He was prosecuting attorney
of Poweshiek County, Iowa
in 1857 and 1858, was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
in 1861 and served in the Iowa Senate
from 1864 to 1866. Cutts was again a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1870 to 1872 and was Attorney General
of Iowa
from 1872 to 1877.
In 1880, Cutts ran as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives for Iowa's 6th congressional district
. He won the Republican nomination, and the Democratic and Greenback parties united behind a single opponent, Democrat John C. Cook
. After a very close general election, Iowa's State Board of Canvassers concluded that Cutts had won 106 more votes. This enabled Cutts to be sworn in in 1881 and to initially serve as a congressman, as Cook pursued a contest of the election with the Republican-controlled U.S. House in the 47th United States Congress
. A commissioner took evidence regarding the contest in Oskaloosa in the Spring of 1882, but the House Committee on Elections had not announced a decision by the date that the seat was again up for election in November 1882 (when Cutts undisputedly won a plurality of votes). It was not until February 1883, in the waning days of Cutts' first term, that the Committee issued its recommendation - a 8-2 vote that Cook, not Cutts, won the 1880 election. The House accepted this recommendation in time for Cutts to serve only a single day of the term, on March 3, 1883, and to collect his salary.
In the 1882 election, the Democratic Party and the Greenback Party nominated separate candidates. Cutts undisputedly won more votes than any other opponent, but the combined votes against him exceeded those in favor of him by over 5,000 votes. Because Cutts undisputedly won the election, his term in the 48th United States Congress
began the day after Cook's single day in the previous Congress. However, his health had been poor. He died of tuberculosis in Oskaloosa, Iowa
on September 1, 1883. He was interned in Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa.
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...
.
Born in Orwell, Vermont
Orwell, Vermont
Orwell is a town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,185 at the 2000 census. Mount Independence was the largest fortification constructed by the American colonial forces...
, Cutts attended common schools in his native village and later attended St. Lawrence Academy in Potsdam, New York
Potsdam (village), New York
Potsdam is a village located in the Town of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York, USA. The population was 9,425 at the 2000 census.The Village of Potsdam is in the eastern part of the town and is northeast of Canton, the county seat....
. He moved to Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
Sheboygan Falls is a city in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States whose population was 6,772 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1853 where he taught school for two years and studied law. He moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
in 1855, continued to study law and was admitted to the bar the same year, commencing practice in Montezuma, Iowa
Montezuma, Iowa
Montezuma is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,440 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Poweshiek County.-Geography:Montezuma's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.584737, -92.525258...
. He was prosecuting attorney
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Poweshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,914 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,949 housing units, of which 7,555 were occupied.-2000 census:...
in 1857 and 1858, was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
in 1861 and served in 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...
from 1864 to 1866. Cutts was again a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1870 to 1872 and was Attorney General
State Attorney General
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states and territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those...
of 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...
from 1872 to 1877.
In 1880, Cutts ran as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives for 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....
. He won the Republican nomination, and the Democratic and Greenback parties united behind a single opponent, Democrat John C. Cook
John C. Cook
John Calhoun Cook was a 19th-century American politician, lawyer and judge from Iowa. He was twice elected to the U.S...
. After a very close general election, Iowa's State Board of Canvassers concluded that Cutts had won 106 more votes. This enabled Cutts to be sworn in in 1881 and to initially serve as a congressman, as Cook pursued a contest of the election with the Republican-controlled U.S. House in the 47th United States Congress
47th United States Congress
The Forty-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, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
. A commissioner took evidence regarding the contest in Oskaloosa in the Spring of 1882, but the House Committee on Elections had not announced a decision by the date that the seat was again up for election in November 1882 (when Cutts undisputedly won a plurality of votes). It was not until February 1883, in the waning days of Cutts' first term, that the Committee issued its recommendation - a 8-2 vote that Cook, not Cutts, won the 1880 election. The House accepted this recommendation in time for Cutts to serve only a single day of the term, on March 3, 1883, and to collect his salary.
In the 1882 election, the Democratic Party and the Greenback Party nominated separate candidates. Cutts undisputedly won more votes than any other opponent, but the combined votes against him exceeded those in favor of him by over 5,000 votes. Because Cutts undisputedly won the election, his term in the 48th United States Congress
48th United States Congress
The Forty-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, 1883 to March 4, 1885, during the last two years...
began the day after Cook's single day in the previous Congress. However, his health had been poor. He died of tuberculosis in Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
on September 1, 1883. He was interned in Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa.
External links
- Marsena E. Cutts at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...