David Guy Classon (September 27, 1870 – September 6, 1930) was an American lawyer and politician. He represented

Wisconsin's 9th congressional district Wisconsin's 9th congressional district was a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin. It was created following the 1870 Census along with the 8th district, and was disbanded after the 2000 Census. From ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

for three terms.

Biography

David G. Classon was born in

Oconto, Wisconsin Oconto is a city in Oconto County, Wisconsin, Oconto County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,609 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Green Bay, Wisconsin, Green Bay Green Bay metropolitan area, Metropol ...

. He attended the public schools, and graduated from the law department of the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

in 1891, earning his

LL.B. Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

He was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Oconto. He was elected county judge of

Oconto County, Wisconsin Oconto County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,965. Its county seat is Oconto. The county was established in 1851. Oconto County is part of the Green Bay, WI Metropolitan Statistical ...

, from 1894 to 1898, and was then elected Mayor of Oconto from 1898 to 1900. After his two terms as mayor, he served as

City attorney A city attorney is a position in city and municipal government in the United States. The city attorney is the attorney representing the municipality. Unlike a district attorney or public defender, who usually handles criminal cases, a city at ...

from 1900 to 1906, as president of the board of education in 1912 and 1913, and as president of the board of fire and police commissioners in 1915 and 1916. In 1916, Classon was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to represent Wisconsin's 9th congressional district in the

Sixty-fifth Congress The 65th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1917, to ...

, defeating Democratic incumbent Thomas F. Konop. He was then re-elected to the Sixty-sixth, and Sixty-seventh

Congresses A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

, serving until March 3, 1923. In Congress, he was one of the two Wisconsin congressmen who voted in favor of the declaration of war with

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, out of the eleven members of the Wisconsin delegation. He was opposed to

prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1922. He resumed the practice of law in Oconto, Wisconsin. After returning to Oconto, he served as circuit judge of the 20th circuit (1928–1930), filling the unexpired term of William B. Quinlan. He died at his home in Oconto, Wisconsin, on September 6, 1930. He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery.

Electoral history

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 7, 1916 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 5, 1916 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 2, 1916

References

Other sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Classon, David Guy 1870 births 1930 deaths People from Oconto, Wisconsin Wisconsin state court judges Mayors of places in Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Law School alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin