George Konig (January 26, 1856 – May 31, 1913) was a United States Congressman who represented

Maryland's 3rd congressional district Maryland's 3rd congressional district comprises portions of Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel counties, as well as a significant part of the independent city of Baltimore. The seat is currently represented by John Sarbanes, a Demo ...

from 1911 to 1913. He was a member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. Konig was born to George Konig (the 2nd) and Caroline Forrester Konig. He grew up in Baltimore City, in the

Fell's Point Fell's Point is a historic waterfront neighborhood in southeastern Baltimore, Maryland. It was established around 1763 along the north shore of the Baltimore Harbor and the Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River. The area has many antique, musi ...

neighborhood, and obtained minimal schooling. He worked as a shipyard caulker for several years, and eventually become the president of the ship caulker union and an official in District Assembly 41 of the Knights of Labor. Konig moved to

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, for a time, but returned during an epidemic. He worked for the Baltimore Chrome Works and later became a police officer. He left the police force in 1881 and served as treasurer for the Ship Caulkers' Union for over 12 years. He then went into the sewage business. In 1884, Konig married Margaret Schroeder, and, over the next few years, they had four daughters: Mary (Carrie), Emma, Margaret, and Sarah (Sadie). They also had a son named George (the fourth) and two adopted daughters. Konig's father died of natural causes in 1892. In 1895, Konig campaigned for the 1st branch of the

Baltimore City Council The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its more than 600,000 citizens. It has 14 members elected by district and a president elected at-large; all serve four-year terms. The Council holds reg ...

and lost. That same year, he and his family moved to the

Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...

neighborhood of Baltimore. In May 1903, Konig won the first ward seat of the first branch of the city council, and was re-elected in 1905. Konig ran for a seat in the second branch in 1907, and won. Much of this area was contained within

, which he would win election to in 1910 by unseating a Republican incumbent. He held the seat from March 4, 1911, until his death due to complications from pneumonia. He is interred in Baltimore Cemetery.

References

*''Maryland Historical Magazine'', Fall 2006, ''The Lost Lives of George Konig Sr.&Jr., A Father-Son Tale of Old Fell's Point''
Memorial services held in the House of Representatives of the United States, together with remarks presented in eulogy of George Konig, late a representative from Maryland frontispiece 1914
{{DEFAULTSORT:Konig, George American trade union leaders 1856 births 1913 deaths Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland Baltimore City Council members Deaths from pneumonia in Maryland 19th-century American politicians

See also

References