Fred Nelson Cummings (September 18, 1864 – November 10, 1952) was an American farmer and rancher who served as a
Democratic U.S. Representative
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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
for four terms from 1933 to 1941.
Early life and education
Frederick Nelson Cummings
was born on a farm near
Groveton, New Hampshire
Groveton is a census-designated place (CDP) and the primary village in the town of Northumberland in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,068 at the 2020 census. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 3 and Ne ...
on September 18, 1864,
a son of George and Angeline Cummings.
His father was a native of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and his mother had been born in
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
.
His family moved to
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,469 as of 2020. Clinton, along with DeWitt (also located in Clinton County), was named in honor of the sixth governor of New York, DeWitt C ...
in 1865.
In 1879, they relocated again, this time to a farm near
West Union, Nebraska.
Cummings attended the local schools in Clinton and West Union and became a farmer and rancher.
Career
After deciding on a legal career, Cummings
studied law with an attorney in Nebraska, attained
Admission to the bar in 1891, and began to practice in
Custer County, Nebraska
Custer County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 10,545. Its county seat is Broken Bow. The county was formed in 1877 and named after General George Armstrong Custer, who was kill ...
.
In 1899, Cummings was an unsuccessful
Populist Party candidate for Custer County Judge.
During the campaign he was accused of falsely claiming to have studied law and been admitted to the bar.
After the Populist party became defunct, Cummings maintained an interest in political activity as a member of the
Socialist Party of America.
In 1906, Cummings moved to
Fort Collins, Colorado, where he continued farming and ranching, but discontinued the practice of law.
From 1909 to 1913 he was a member of the Fort Collins city council.
Before his election to Congress, Cummings served as president of the Mountain States Beet Growers Association, a lobbying and issues advocacy organization. He later served as president of the National Beet Growers Association.
In 1922, he was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for
Larimer County
Larimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 359,066. The county seat and most populous city is Fort Collins. The county was named for William Larimer, Jr., the founder of Denver.
...
Commissioner. In 1932, Cummings was a successful
Democratic candidate for election to the
73rd Congress.
He was reelected three times and served from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1941.
Cummings was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1940.
After leaving Congress, Cummings resumed farming and ranching.
He died in Fort Collins on November 10, 1952.
Cummings was buried at
Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.
Family
In 1889, Cummings married Nancy Jane Sutton (d. 1944).
They were the parents of five children—George, Ralph, Harry, Edna, and Hugh.
Cummings's sons Harry and Hugh predeceased him.
In 1947, Cummings married Ina Graham, who died in 1951.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cummings, Fred Nelson
1864 births
1952 deaths
People from Coös County, New Hampshire
Politicians from Clinton, Iowa
People from Custer County, Nebraska
Nebraska Populists
Nebraska socialists
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado
Politicians from Fort Collins, Colorado
Colorado city council members
Burials in Colorado