John W. Eber (October 16, 1895March 18, 1972) was an American lawyer, businessman, and Progressive Republican politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the 51st speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1927–1928), and served ten years in the Assembly, representing the west side of the city of Milwaukee.
Biography Eber was born on October 16, 1895, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. As a child he moved with his parents to St. Paul, Minnesota, and then to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was his primary residence for the rest of his life. He attended Marquette University and then the University of Wisconsin–Extension, then went into business with Willard P. Lyons in the insurance and real estate business.
Eber was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1922, running on the Republican Party ticket. He represented Milwaukee's 10th Assembly district, which then comprised the 16th and 23rd wards of Milwaukee in the western part of the city. He was re-elected four times. He was chairman of the Judiciary Committee during the 1925–1926 session and was then chosen as speaker in the 1927–1928 session. He was the youngest speaker up to that time in Wisconsin history, but that record was broken a few years later by Cornelius T. Young.
Following redistricting in 1931, Eber resided in the new Milwaukee 8th Assembly district. He ran for a sixth term in the Assembly in 1932, but was defeated by Democrat James W. Higgins. He subsequently became a leader of the new Wisconsin Progressive Party, which had split from the Republican Party of Wisconsin after decades of factional fighting between Republican progressives and conservatives. He made another bid for a sixth term in 1934, running on the Progressive Party ticket, but lost to Democrat Donald P. Ryan.
Eber remained involved in public affairs after his election losses, and encouraged the public to become more educated about the business of the Legislature. He was also hired to handle legal work for the state branch of the Works Progress Administration. Eber subsequently settled into a law practice in Milwaukee.
Eber died of a heart attack at the Ambassador Hotel in Milwaukee on March 18, 1972.
Personal life and family
On April 21, 1921, Eber married Cecelia "Celia" Mitchell of Waterford, New York. They had one daughter together and were married for 35 years before her death in 1956.
Electoral history Wisconsin Assembly (Milwaukee 10th district, 1922–1930)
Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1922 General Republican 3,829 59.37% Soc. 2,618 40.60% 6,449 1,211 1924 Primary Republican Rep. Rep. General Republican 5,360 67.98% Soc. 2,525 32.02% 7,885 2,835 1926 General Republican 4,039 65.86% Soc. 2,094 34.14% 6,133 1,945 1928 General Republican 6,922 49.88% Dem. 4,655 33.55% 13,876 2,267 Soc. 2,299 16.57% 1930 Primary Republican 1,961 28.54% Rep. 1,884 27.42% 6,871 77 Rep. 1,693 24.64% Rep. 1,333 19.40% General Republican 4,103 49.46% Soc. 2,513 30.29% 8,296 1,590 Dem. 1,251 15.08% Ind. 429 5.17%
Wisconsin Assembly (Milwaukee 8th district, 1932 & 1934)
Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 1932 Primary Republican 3,226 47.23% Rep. 2,549 37.32% 6,830 677 Rep. 1,055 15.45% General Democratic 6,976 46.97% Rep. 4,872 32.81% 14,851 2,104 Soc. 3,003 20.22% 1934 Primary Progressive 559 56.64% Prog. 243 24.62% 987 316 Prog. 185 18.74% General Democratic 3,716 35.35% Prog. 2,917 27.75% 10,513 799 Soc. 2,143 20.38% Rep. 1,737 16.52%
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