William A. Rodenberg
Encyclopedia
William August Rodenberg (October 30, 1865 - September 10, 1937) was a U.S. Representative
from Illinois
.
Born near Chester, Illinois
, Rodenberg attended the public schools.
He graduated from Central Wesleyan College
, Warrenton, Missouri
, in 1884.
He taught school for seven years.
He attended the St. Louis Law School.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1893 and commenced practice in East St. Louis
, St. Clair County, Illinois
.
He served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1896, 1908, 1916, and 1920.
Rodenberg was elected as a Republican
to the Fifty-sixth
Congress (March 4, 1899-March 3, 1901).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1900 to the Fifty-seventh
Congress.
He was appointed a member of the United States Civil Service Commission
by President McKinley
March 25, 1901, and served until April 1, 1902, when he resigned.
He resumed the practice of law in East St. Louis, also financially interested in various business enterprises.
Rodenberg was elected to the 58th and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1913).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions (61st Congress).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1912 to the 63rd Congress.
Rodenberg was elected to the 64th and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915-March 3, 1923).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Flood Control (66th and 67th Congresses).
In November 1915, Rodenberg appeared as a dignitary on the train car along with the Liberty Bell
as it passed through southern Illinois on its nationwide tour returning to Pennsylvania
from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
in San Francisco. After that trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania and will not be moved again.
He practiced law in Washington, D.C.
.
He died in Alpena, Michigan
, while on a visit on September 10, 1937.
He was interred in Rock Creek Cemetery
, Washington, D.C.
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 Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Born near Chester, Illinois
Chester, Illinois
Chester is a city located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,400 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County and is located south of St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
, Rodenberg attended the public schools.
He graduated from Central Wesleyan College
Central Wesleyan College
Central Wesleyan College was a private college sponsored by the Methodist Church in Warrenton, Missouri from 1864 to 1941.-History:The college has its roots in the German and English College founded in 1854 in Quincy, Illinois, to train ministers for the German Methodist Episcopal Church...
, Warrenton, Missouri
Warrenton, Missouri
Warrenton is a city in Warren County, Missouri, United States. The population was estimated at 7,398 in 2008. It is the county seat of Warren County. Warrenton is located in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Warrenton's slogan is "A City for All Seasons."-Geography:Warrenton is located...
, in 1884.
He taught school for seven years.
He attended the St. Louis Law School.
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 1893 and commenced practice in East St. Louis
East St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
, St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
.
He served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1896, 1908, 1916, and 1920.
Rodenberg 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 Fifty-sixth
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
Congress (March 4, 1899-March 3, 1901).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1900 to the Fifty-seventh
57th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:*Democratic: 151*Republican: 200 *Populist: 5*Silver : 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Theodore Roosevelt , until September 14, 1901, vacant thereafter....
Congress.
He was appointed a member of the United States Civil Service Commission
United States Civil Service Commission
The United States Civil Service Commission a three man commission was created by the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which was passed into law on January 16, 1883...
by President McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
March 25, 1901, and served until April 1, 1902, when he resigned.
He resumed the practice of law in East St. Louis, also financially interested in various business enterprises.
Rodenberg was elected to the 58th and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1913).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Industrial Arts and Expositions (61st Congress).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1912 to the 63rd Congress.
Rodenberg was elected to the 64th and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915-March 3, 1923).
He served as chairman of the Committee on Flood Control (66th and 67th Congresses).
In November 1915, Rodenberg appeared as a dignitary on the train car along with the Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
as it passed through southern Illinois on its nationwide tour returning to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery...
in San Francisco. After that trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania and will not be moved again.
He practiced law 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 died in Alpena, Michigan
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
, while on a visit on September 10, 1937.
He was interred in Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery — also Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery — is an cemetery with a natural rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE in Washington, D.C.'s Michigan Park neighborhood, near Washington's Petworth neighborhood...
, Washington, D.C.