Thomas Hedge (June 24, 1844 – November 28, 1920) was a four-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 1st congressional district, in southeastern Iowa.

Thomas Hedge
Sketch of Hedge circa 1911
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1899-March 3, 1907
Preceded bySamuel M. Clark
Succeeded byCharles A. Kennedy
Personal details
Born(1844-06-24)June 24, 1844
Burlington, Iowa Territory
DiedNovember 28, 1920(1920-11-28) (aged 76)
Burlington, Iowa, U.S.
Resting placeAspen Grove Cemetery
Burlington, Iowa, U.S.
Spouse
Mary Frances Cook
(m. 1873)
Children3
Alma materYale College
Columbia College Law School
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • politician
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnion Army
Rank Second lieutenant
Unit106th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

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Thomas Hedge was born on June 24, 1844, in Burlington, Iowa Territory, Hedge attended the common schools, including the North Hill school in Burlington, and Denmark (Iowa) Academy. He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1861, but his education was interrupted by the Civil War. In 1864 and 1865 he served as a private in Company E and as second lieutenant in Company G of the 106th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[1]

He graduated from Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1867, where he was a member of Skull and Bones,[2]: 123  and Columbia College Law School in New York City in 1869. He was admitted to the bar in New York in 1869, and returned to Iowa to practice law in Burlington.[3]

Career

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For twenty years, Hedge practiced in a partnership with Iowa Republican politician J.W. Blythe,[3] with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad as one of the firm's clients.[4][5]

In 1898, Hedge was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House seat for Iowa's 1st congressional district, then held by Republican Samuel M. Clark (who chose not to seek re-election). Hedge served in the Fifty-sixth and the three succeeding Congresses.[6] In 1906 he did not seek re-nomination.[7] In all, he served in Congress from March 4, 1899, to March 3, 1907.

After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law.[8]

Personal life

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Hedge married Mary Frances Cook of Burlington in January 1873. They had three children: Thomas Jr., Lyman Cook and Anna Louise.[1]

Hedge died at his home in Burlington on November 28, 1920.[1][8] He was interred in Aspen Grove Cemetery.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Former U.S. Senator Dies". Evening Times-Republican. 1920-11-30. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-06-07 – via Newspapers.com. 
  2. ^ Catalogue of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The Delta Kappa Epsilon council. 1910. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Editorial, "Thomas Hedge," Cedar Rapids Daily Republican, 1898-07-04 at p. 4.
  4. ^ Pool v. The C., B. and Q. Ry. Co., 6 F. 844 (D. Iowa 1881).
  5. ^ John Ely Briggs, "William Peters Hepburn," p. 289 (State Hist. Soc. of Iowa 1919).
  6. ^ "S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903". GovInfo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. 9 November 1903. p. 31. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Hedge Going to Retire," Waterloo Daily Times-Tribune, 1906-03-03 at p. 1.
  8. ^ a b (30 November 1920). Thomas Hedge Was Well Known, Daily Gate City and Constitution (Keokuk, Iowa), reprint of obituary from the Burlington Gazette
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 1st congressional district

1899–1907
Succeeded by

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