Robert Crosser (June 7, 1874 – June 3, 1957) was an American lawyer and politician who served 19 terms as a U.S. representative from Ohio. He remains the longest-serving member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Ohio, serving from 1913 to 1919, then again from 1923 until 1955.
Life and career Born in Holytown, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Crosser emigrated to the United States in 1881 with his parents and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Salineville, Ohio, the same year and attended the public schools. He graduated from Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, in 1897. He studied law at Columbia Law School in New York City and graduated from Cincinnati Law School in 1901. He was admitted to the bar in 1901 and commenced practice in Cleveland, Ohio. He taught law at Baldwin-Wallace Law School in 1904 and 1905. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1911 and 1912. He served as member of the fourth constitutional convention in 1912. At the convention, he was the author of the Initiative and referendum amendment adopted by the voters in 1912.
Congress Robert Crosser was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third, Sixty-fourth, and Sixty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919). He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce (Sixty-fifth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1918 and for election in 1920.
Crosser was elected to the Sixty-eighth and to the fifteen succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1955). He served as chairman of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Eighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1954. In that race, he was defeated in the primary by Charles Vanik in a field of candidates that also included African-American challenger John Holly, founder of the Negro Future Outlook League.
Death He resided in Bethesda, Maryland, until his death there on June 3, 1957. He was interred in Highland Park Cemetery, Warrensville, Ohio.
Robert Crosser was married to Isabelle Dargarvel Hogg.
Crosser was a member of Phi Delta Phi.
Election results Year Democratic Republican Other 1952 Robert Crosser: 100,340 Lawrence O. Payne: 45,896 1950 Robert Crosser: 66,341 William Hodge: 21,588 1948 Robert Crosser: 72,417 Harry W. Mitchell: 22,932 1946 Robert Crosser: 49,111 James S. Hudee: 27,657 1944 Robert Crosser: 77,525 Harry C. Gahn: 22,288 1942 Robert Crosser: 35,109 William J. Rogers: 19,137 Arnold S. Johnson: 744 1940 Robert Crosser: 79,602 J. E. Chizek: 23,658 1938 Robert Crosser: 53,180 J. E. Chizek: 24,240 1936 Robert Crosser: 70,596 Harry C. Gahn: 23,811 1934 Robert Crosser: 47,540 Frank W. Sotak: 25,253 E. C. Greenfield (C): 1,684 1932 Robert Crosser: 49,436 Gerard Pilliod: 25,527 Joseph Schiffer (C): 672Eugene F. Cheeks: 204 1930 Robert Crosser: 30,722 George H. Bender: 29,081 Gustave F. Ebding: 96 1928 Robert Crosser: 39,090 Joseph F. Lange: 26,267 1926 Robert Crosser: 17,819 Harry C. Gahn: 10,733 1924 Robert Crosser: 24,889 Harry C. Gahn: 21,629 John Brahtin (W): 272 1922 Robert Crosser: 18,645 Harry C. Gahn: 14,024 Henry Kuhlman (S): 997Frank Kalcec (SL): 185
See also List of United States representatives from Ohio
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