John Hobart Marble (February 26, 1869 – November 21, 1913) was an American attorney and government official, who was appointed to the

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to eliminat ...

in March 1913 and served on the commission until his death eight months later.

Early life

He was born on February 26, 1869, in

Ashland, Nebraska Ashland is a city in Saunders County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,453 at the 2010 census. History Ashland is located at the site of a low-water limestone ledge along the bottom of Salt Creek, an otherwise mud-bottomed stream ...

, to Sarah and Andrew Marble.Marbles in the 1870 US Census in

He later attended the

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

. He worked for a time as a linotype operator. He moved to California, and was admitted to the

State Bar of California The State Bar of California is California's official attorney licensing agency. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, prescribing appropriate disciplin ...

in 1903.

Government career

While in San Francisco, he became acquainted with City Attorney

Franklin Knight Lane Franklin Knight Lane (July 15, 1864 – May 18, 1921) was an American progressive politician from California. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as United States Secretary of the Interior from 1913 to 1920. He also served as a comm ...

, and when Lane was appointed and then confirmed to the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1906, followed Lane to Washington as his confidential clerk. Marble subsequently became the Commission's attorney in charge of prosecutions, and then, in 1912, its secretary. In 1912, Marble took a leave of absence from the Commission to serve as council to the investigating committee of the Senate concerning the election of Senator William Lorimer of Illinois. Lorimer's election was shown to have been procured by bribery, and he was unseated. In 1913, Lane, by now chairman of the Commission as well as a commissioner, was appointed as

Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also

*Interior ministry ...

by President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

. Wilson subsequently appointed Marble to the Commission in Lane's place, with Edgar Erastus Clark becoming chairman. Marble was confirmed by the Senate on March 10, 1913. As commissioner, Marble concerned himself with the Commission's prosecutions.

Death

On November 20, 1913, Marble, the junior commissioner both in age and in time on the Commission, was conducting an ICC hearing in Philadelphia, when he was taken ill with an attack of acute indigestion Marble journeyed to his Washington home. With Marble continuing to feel ill, Marble's family physician was called in the following day, but the Commissioner died shortly after the doctor's arrival.

Legacy

At a hearing on November 24, Chairman Clark described Marble as "a man of genial, helpful and splendid personality, indefatigable industry, sterling integrity, and broad fair-mindedness."

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marble, John H. 1867 births 1913 deaths University of Nebraska alumni People of the Interstate Commerce Commission People from Ashland, Nebraska