Robert Crosser

Robert Crosser (June 7, 1874 – June 3, 1957) was an American lawyer and politician who served 19 terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio. He remains the longest-serving member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Ohio, serving from 1911 to 1919, then again from 1923 until 1955.

Robert Crosser
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio
In office
March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919
Preceded byinactive
Succeeded byJohn J. Babka
ConstituencyAt Large (1913-1915)
21st district (1915-1919)
In office
March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1955
Preceded byHarry C. Gahn
Succeeded byCharles Vanik
Constituency21st district
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the Cuyahoga County district
In office
January 2, 1911 – January 5, 1913
Serving with 9 others
Preceded by11 others
Succeeded by13 others
Personal details
Born(1874-06-07)June 7, 1874
Holytown, Lanarkshire, Scotland
DiedJune 3, 1957(1957-06-03) (aged 82)
Bethesda, Maryland
Resting placeHighland Park Cemetery, Warrensville Heights, Ohio
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseIsabelle Dargarvel Hogg
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Life and career

Born in Holytown, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Crosser emigrated to the United States in 1881 with his parents and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Salineville, Ohio, the same year and attended the public schools. He graduated from Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, in 1897. He studied law at Columbia Law School in New York City and graduated from Cincinnati Law School in 1901. He was admitted to the bar in 1901 and commenced practice in Cleveland, Ohio. He taught law at Baldwin-Wallace Law School in 1904 and 1905. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1911 and 1912. He served as member of the fourth constitutional convention in 1912. At the convention, he was the author of the Initiative and referendum amendment adopted by the voters in 1912.[1]

Congress

Robert Crosser was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third, Sixty-fourth, and Sixty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919). He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce (Sixty-fifth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1918 and for election in 1920.

Crosser was elected to the Sixty-eighth and to the fifteen succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1955). He served as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Eighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses).

He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1954. In that race, he was defeated in the primary by Charles Vanik in a field of candidates that also included African-American challenger John Holly, founder of the Negro Future Outlook League.[2][3]

Death

He resided in Bethesda, Maryland, until his death there on June 3, 1957. He was interred in Highland Park Cemetery, Warrensville, Ohio.

Robert Crosser was married to Isabelle Dargarvel Hogg.[1]

Crosser was a member of Phi Delta Phi.[1]

Election results
YearDemocraticRepublicanOther
1952Robert Crosser: 100,340Lawrence O. Payne: 45,896 
1950Robert Crosser: 66,341William Hodge: 21,588 
1948Robert Crosser: 72,417Harry W. Mitchell: 22,932 
1946Robert Crosser: 49,111James S. Hudee: 27,657 
1944Robert Crosser: 77,525Harry C. Gahn: 22,288 
1942Robert Crosser: 35,109William J. Rogers: 19,137Arnold S. Johnson: 744
1940Robert Crosser: 79,602J. E. Chizek: 23,658 
1938Robert Crosser: 53,180J. E. Chizek: 24,240 
1936Robert Crosser: 70,596Harry C. Gahn: 23,811 
1934Robert Crosser: 47,540Frank W. Sotak: 25,253E. C. Greenfield (C): 1,684
1932Robert Crosser: 49,436Gerard Pilliod: 25,527Joseph Schiffer (C): 672
Eugene F. Cheeks: 204
1930Robert Crosser: 30,722George H. Bender: 29,081Gustave F. Ebding: 96
1928Robert Crosser: 39,090Joseph F. Lange: 26,267 
1926Robert Crosser: 17,819Harry C. Gahn: 10,733 
1924Robert Crosser: 24,889Harry C. Gahn: 21,629John Brahtin (W): 272
1922Robert Crosser: 18,645Harry C. Gahn: 14,024Henry Kuhlman (S): 997
Frank Kalcec (SL): 185

See also

References
  1. Neff, William B, ed. (1921). Bench and Bar of Northern Ohio History and Biography. Cleveland: The Historical Publishing Company. p. 346.
  2. "VANIK, CHARLES ALBERT". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Retrieved 2016-11-16. Vanik defeated long-time Congressman ROBERT CROSSER in the Democratic Primary in 1954.
  3. "22 Negroes Win Primary Nominations". Jet. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Company. 1954-05-20. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 2014-07-04. Young, active in civic affairs, will face Charles A. Vanik, a white municipal court judge, who edged out John Holly, founder of the Negro Future Outlook League, in the Democratic primary.

Sources

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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