John Valentine Beamer (November 17, 1896 – September 8, 1964) was an American businessman and veteran of

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 ...

who served four terms as a

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

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

from 1951 to 1959.

Background

Born on a farm in

Wabash County, Indiana Wabash County is a county located in the northern central part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 30,976. The county seat is Wabash. History The area was inhabited for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous pe ...

, Beamer's father and maternal grandparents were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

immigrants. He attended the public schools of

Roann, Indiana Roann is a town in Paw Paw Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 479 at the 2010 census. History There are two theories on how the town of Roann got its name. One source claims that the community was named ...

and graduated from Roann High School in 1914. He graduated from

Wabash College Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, it enrolls nearly 900 students. The college offers an undergraduate liberal arts cu ...

Crawfordsville, Indiana Crawfordsville is a city in Montgomery County in west central Indiana, United States, west by northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,306. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County, the only char ...

in 1918. During

era, he served as a private first class in the field artillery. He was employed with Service Motor Truck Co.,

Wabash, Indiana Wabash is a city in Noble Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wabash County. Wabash is notable as claiming to be the first electrically lighted ci ...

from 1919 to 1921. He was a representative for the Century Company, a school textbook publisher, in New York and Chicago from 1921 to 1928. He later became vice president and general manager of the Wabash Baking Powder Chemical Company from 1928 to 1941. He served as vice president and sales manager, Union Rock Wool Corp. of

from 1935 to 1942.

Political career

He served in the State house of representatives in 1949 and 1950. Beamer 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 the Eighty-second and to the three succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1959). Beamer did not vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1958 to the Eighty-sixth Congress. His name was given to the Beamer Resolution enacted on August 20, 1958, which automatically gave states permission to form compacts in the areas of traffic safety under the

Driver License Compact The Driver License Compact is an agreement between states in the United States of America. The compact is used to exchange data between motorist's home state and a state where the motorist incurred a vehicular violation. Not all states are members, ...

. He served as member of the National Selective Service Appeal Board from March 1960 until his resignation on September 1, 1961.

Death

He died in

Anderson, Indiana Anderson, named after Chief William Anderson, is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison County. Anderson ...

, September 8, 1964, aged 67 and was interred in Falls Cemetery,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beamer, John V. 1896 births 1964 deaths American manufacturing businesspeople American people of German descent Farmers from Indiana Politicians from Anderson, Indiana People from Wabash, Indiana Wabash College alumni United States Army soldiers 20th-century American politicians Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana