William R. Eaton
{{Short description|American politician (1877–1942)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = William R. Eaton
| honorific_suffix =
| image = William R. Eaton (Colorado Congressman).jpg
| alt = William R. Eaton, Colorado Congressman.
| state = Colorado
| district = 1st
| term_start = March 4, 1929
| term_end = March 3, 1933
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1877|12|17}}
| birth_place = Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1942|12|16|1877|12|17}}
| death_place = Denver, Colorado
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| resting_place = Fairmount Cemetery
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| citizenship =
| nationality = Canadian-American
| party = Republican
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| education = University of Denver (law, 1909)
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| occupation = Attorney, district attorney, senator, congressman
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| committees = Public Lands Committee
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| branch = National Guard of Colorado
| serviceyears = 1898 to 1904
| rank = First lieutenant
| unit = Troop B, First Squadron Cavalry
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William Robb Eaton (December 17, 1877 – December 16, 1942) was an American businessman, lawyer, Spanish-American War veteran, and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Colorado from 1929 to 1933.
He was the nephew of Charles Aubrey Eaton.{{CongBio|E000027}}{{Bioguide}}
Early life and education
Born in Pugwash, Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, his parents were Cyrus B. and Margaret S. (Whidden) Eaton.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iI8jAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA275 |title=Who's who in Law |date=1937 |pages=275–276 |language=en|last1=Schwarz |first1=Julius Caesar }} He was of New England ancestry.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JOjT69XVh-4C&pg=PA12 |title=Official Congressional Directory |last=Congress |first=United States |date=1925 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=12 |language=en}} Eaton immigrated to the United States with his parents who settled in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1878, and in Denver, Colorado, in 1881. He attended public and private schools.
Early and law school
Beginning at the age of 12, he was employed as a bank clerk from 1889 to 1901.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43522308/william_r_eaton_excongressman_dies/ |title=William R. Eaton, Ex-Congressman, Dies in Denver |date=December 17, 1942 |work=The Daily Sentinel |access-date=February 2, 2020 |pages=3}} He engaged as a jobber and wholesaler and in the warehouse business 1901 to 1909. He served in Troop B, First Squadron Cavalry, National Guard of Colorado from 1898 to 1904. He served during the Spanish–American War.
He was graduated from the law department of the University of Denver in 1909. He was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Denver, Colorado.
Political career
= State legislature =
He served as member of the State senate 1915 to 1918 and 1923 to 1926. He was a sponsor of the Colorado State Workmen's Compensation Law in 1915.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Maj2K4TD-5kC&pg=PA122 |title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress |last=Congress |first=United States |date=1943 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=122 |language=en}} He specialized in oil and shale land property rights, insurance, mining, and corporate law. He served on the Public Lands Committee. He was interested in the establishment of military installations and the expansion of the Fitzsimons General Hospital near Denver.
= Congress =
Eaton was elected as a Republican to the 71st and 72nd Congresses (March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1933). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932 to the 73rd Congress and for election in 1934 to the 74th Congress. His loss in 1932 is attributed to his position that the prohibition should not have been repealed.
Later career
He resumed the practice of law in Denver, Colorado. He was a member of the Masonic Temple, the city, state, national and international bar associations, the National Association for Constitutional Government. He was also a member of the Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims and the Colorado State Historical Society.
Personal life
On September 16, 1909, he married Liela Carter. She was president of the board of the State Industrial School for Girls at Mt. Morrison. Her residence was the Colburn Hotel in Denver.{{cite web|url=https://spl.cde.state.co.us/artemis/exserials/ex211internet/ex211194547internet.pdf|title= Yearbook of the State of Colorado, 1945–1947|publisher=State of Colorado|access-date=February 2, 2020|page=88}}
Death and burial
He died in Denver on December 16, 1942, as the result of complications following surgery and was interred in Denver's Fairmount Cemetery.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change|title=1928 United States House of Representatives elections, Colorado's 1st district{{Cite web|date=March 25, 1929|others=Compiled from official sources by William Tyler Page|title=Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 6, 1928|url=https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1928election.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011146/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1928election.pdf |archive-date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=William R. Eaton|votes=63,258|percentage=58.08%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=S. Harrison White (incumbent)|votes=44,713|percentage=41.05%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Workers Party of America|candidate=William R. Dietrich|votes=949|percentage=0.87%}}
{{Election box majority no change||votes=18,545|percentage=17.03%|change=}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=108,920|percentage=100%}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing||winner=Republican Party (United States)|loser=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=1930 United States House of Representatives elections, Colorado's 1st district{{Cite web|date=January 8, 1931|others=Compiled from official sources by William Tyler Page|title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1930|url=https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1930election.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011818/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1930election.pdf |archive-date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (US)
| candidate = William R. Eaton (incumbent)
| votes = 39,907
| percentage = 50.33%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (US)
| candidate = Lawrence Lewis
| votes = 38,152
| percentage = 48.12%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=W.R. Duke|votes=813|percentage=1.03%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Communist Party USA|candidate=Louis A. Zeitlin|votes=411|percentage=0.52%}}{{Election box majority no change
| votes = 1,755
| percentage = 2.21%
| change =
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 79,283
| percentage = 100%
| change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (US)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=1932 United States House of Representatives elections, Colorado's 1st district{{Cite web|date=February 3, 1933|others=Compiled from official sources by George D. Ellis under direction of South Trimble|title=Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 8, 1932|url=https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1932election.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011055/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1932election.pdf |archive-date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=January 27, 2021|website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Lawrence Lewis|votes=70,826|percentage=54.41%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=William R. Eaton (incumbent)|votes=56,601|percentage=43.49%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Socialist Party of America|candidate=Bruce Lamont|votes=1,926|percentage=1.48%}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Communist Party USA|candidate=Charles Guynn|votes=422|percentage=0.32%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Farmer–Labor Party|candidate=W. R. Duke|votes=385|percentage=0.30%}}{{Election box majority no change||votes=14,225|percentage=10.92%|change=}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=130,160|percentage=100%}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)|loser=Republican Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=1934 United States House of Representatives elections, Colorado's 1st district{{Cite web|date=April 11, 1935|others=Compiled from official sources by Leroy D. Brandon under direction of South Trimble|title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1934|url=https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1934election.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011827/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1934election.pdf |archive-date=January 5, 2007 |access-date=January 27, 2021|website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (US)
| candidate = Lawrence Lewis (incumbent)
| votes = 59,744
| percentage = 56.04%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (US)
| candidate = William R. Eaton
| votes = 34,073
| percentage = 31.96%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate minor party no change|color=#ca7bb4|party=Old Age Pension|candidate=Charles W. Varnum|votes=9,511|percentage=8.92%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Socialist Party of America|candidate=Carle Whitehead|votes=2,540|percentage=2.38%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Communist Party USA|candidate=George Bardwell|votes=743|percentage=0.70%}}{{Election box majority no change
| votes = 25,671
| percentage = 24.08%
| change =
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 106,611
| percentage = 100%
| change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Democratic Party (US)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Find a Grave|11261197}}
- [https://www.masonrytoday.com/index.php?new_month=12&new_day=17&new_year=2017 William R. Eaton], Masonic history
- [https://www.loc.gov/item/2016889271/ Uncle and nephew combination in Congress, Rep. Charles A. Eaton of New Jersey, (right) and his nephew Rep. William R. Eaton of Colorado, are both members of the special session of Congress]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{US House succession box |
state = Colorado |
district = 1 |
years = March 4, 1929 - March 3, 1933 |
before = S. Harrison White |
after = Lawrence Lewis}}
{{s-end}}
{{ColoradoUSRepresentatives}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaton, William Robb}}
Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States
Category:Politicians from Denver
Category:University of Denver alumni
Category:Colorado National Guard personnel
Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado
Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives