Ogle County Newspapers / oglecountynews.com • Friday, February 5, 2021
OGLE COUNTY NEWS
6
LOCAL HISTORY
A short summary of Frank O. Lowden’s life
Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events important in the Oregon area’s history for the Ogle County Historical Society. The following is one of a series of the articles he has written.
BY OTTO DICK In the late 1860’s Frank Lowden, age 7, walked behind a covered wagon from Minnesota to Iowa. His father farmed and his son Frank helped. During this time of helping his father he attended country schools. When he was 15 he got a job teaching school. He taught for five years and earned enough money to attend the University of Iowa. Following his college career which he paid for from his teaching income he attended the Northwestern Law School in Chicago. At age 26 he graduated and practiced law in Chicago. His law practice and his intellectual skills gave him a comfortable living and social position in Chicago.
Photos supplied by Otto Dick
TOP LEFT: Frank O. Lowden as a young boy. CENTER: Lowden when he was a senior at the State University of Iowa, 1885. RIGHT: Lowden when he was a candidate for Illinois governor in 1916. BELOW: Governor Lowden on his horse “Iowa”.
Political Career - Three Fairly Distinct Period (Time Period One-1899-1900) Lowden’s father was a member of the Democratic Party. Frank switched to the Republican Party after he moved to Chicago. This is interesting because Chicago was a Democratic stronghold. He entered the presidential campaign and devoted his speaking ability to supporting William McKinley for President of the United States. President McKinley offered him a position in Washington D. C., but Lowden was not ready to leave his law profession. In 1903 friends urged him to seek the nomination for Governor of Illinois. At the Republican Convention lasting twenty-one days he was defeated by Charles S. Deneen. After the Convention Lowden devoted his time to the election of Deneen for the governorship. During this time he served a twelve year apprenticeship working on reforms of Chicago’s City Hall. While working on the City Hall reforms Lowden married Florence Pullman and in 1896 purchased a farm in Ogle County.
(Time Period Two 1906-1911) He represented the Thirteenth District of this area as a member of the U. S. House of Representatives serving two terms. He retired for health reasons and turned his efforts to the Sinnissippi Farm. He voted for the bill limiting the hours of labor on train crews and legislation regulating child labor.
(Time Period Three 1916-1921) On Nov. 6, 1916, Lowden was elected Governor of Illinois by a majority of 149,824 votes. He served as Chief Executive of Illinois during WWI and two years after the Armistice. Upon assuming the duties of his office, Jan. 8, 1917, he turned his attention to reducing taxes in
Illinois by $4,000,000. He did this by consolidation of 125 commissions, boards and bureaus into nine major departments with a director at the head of each department who was required to live in
Springfield and give his entire time to the state. Frank Lowden cast his vote for this election at the Daysville polling place. This was probably at the Daysville School.
