Ralph Edwin Church (May 5, 1883 – March 21, 1950) was an American lawyer and
Republican politician. He served in the
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
from 1917 to 1932 and then represented the northern suburbs of
Chicago in the
United States House of Representatives for seven terms. He died in office in 1950 while testifying at a congressional hearing.
Early life and career
Church was born on a farm near
Catlin, Illinois in
Vermillion County, Illinois. He went to Danville High School in
Danville, Illinois. He received his bachelor's degree from
University of Michigan and his master's and law degrees from
Northwestern University. Church was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1909 and practiced law in
Chicago, Illinois. He lived with his wife
Marguerite S. Church
Marguerite Stitt Church (September 13, 1892 – May 26, 1990) was an American psychologist and politician who represented Illinois' 13th congressional district as a Republican Party (United States), Republican from 1951 to 1963.
Early life an ...
and their family in
Evanston, Illinois. He served in the
United States Army during
World War I.
Political career
Church served in the
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
from 1917 to 1932 as a
Republican. Church then served in the
United States House of Representatives from 1935 to 1941 and from 1943 until his death in 1950. Church died suddenly while giving testimony before a Congressional House committee about expenditures. His wife Marguerite was elected in a special election to succeed her husband in the United States House of Representatives.
['Marguerite Church. Ex-Congresswoman,' The Chicago Tribune, Kerry Tuft, May 27, 1990]
See also
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References
External links
*
Memorial services held in the House of Representatives of the United States, together with remarks presented in eulogy of Ralph Edwin Church, late a representative from Illinois frontispiece 1950
1883 births
1950 deaths
People from Evanston, Illinois
People from Vermilion County, Illinois
Military personnel from Illinois
Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
Lawyers from Chicago
Northwestern University alumni
University of Michigan alumni
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois
20th-century American politicians
Burials in Illinois
20th-century American lawyers
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