Charles Newell Fowler Sr. (November 2, 1852 – May 27, 1932) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who represented
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
from 1895 to 1911.
Early life
Charles Newell Fowler was born on November 2, 1852, in Lena, Illinois. He attended the public schools in Lena and
Beloit College
Beloit College is a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1846 when Wisconsin was still a territory, it is the state's oldest continuously operated college. It has an enrollment of roughly 1,000 undergradua ...
. He graduated from
Yale College
Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...
in 1876 where he was a member of
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones (also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death) is an undergraduate senior Secret society#Colleges and universities, secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior-class ...
. He was a member of Yale Crew. He then taught school and graduated from the
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School is the Law school in the United States, law school of the University of Chicago, a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It employs more than 180 full-time and part-time facul ...
in 1878. He was
admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1878.
Early career
Fowler commenced the practice of law in
Beloit, Kansas
Beloit is a city in and the county seat of Mitchell County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,404.
History
On permanent organization of the county in 1870, Beloit was selected as the county sea ...
. Fowler moved to
Cranford, New Jersey
Cranford is a Township (New Jersey), township in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 23,847, an increas ...
, in 1883 and to
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. He engaged in banking, serving as president of a mortgage company.
Political career
Fowler was a Republican. He was chairman of the Republican city committee of Elizabeth for a number of years. He was a member of the Republican State Committee from 1898 to 1907.
Fowler was elected to represent New Jersey's 8th congressional district as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth and to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving in office from March 4, 1895, to March 3, 1911. Fowler's district centered on his native
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county
. From 1895 to 1903, also included
Bayonne
Bayonne () is a city in southwestern France near the France–Spain border, Spanish border. It is a communes of France, commune and one of two subprefectures in France, subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments of France, departm ...
and most of Essex County. From 1903 to 1911, was redrawn to instead include Morris and Warren counties. He was chairman of the committee on banking and currency (Fifty-seventh through Sixtieth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination for election to the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
in 1910. He narrowly lost the Republican nomination to Governor Edward C. Stokes in the state's first direct primary election. He lost a second match with Stokes by a much wider margin in the 1913 gubernatorial primary.
Fowler was a leader at the 1897 monetary convention in
Indianapolis
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
. He debated in favor of paper money against
fiat money
Fiat money is a type of government-issued currency that is not backed by a precious metal, such as gold or silver, nor by any other tangible asset or commodity. Fiat currency is typically designated by the issuing government to be legal tende ...
with Andrew Jackson Warner at the 1898 Omaha Convention. He drafted a general financial bill known as the "Fowler Bill". He was a member of the committee on foreign affairs and wrote a bill to establish a tariff commission.
Later career
After leaving Congress, he resumed banking activities at Elizabeth. He also engaged in literary pursuits and operated a group of marble quarries in
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
. He was president of the
Pingry School
The Pingry School is a coeducational, independent, college preparatory country day school in New Jersey, with a Lower School (K–5) campus in the Short Hills neighborhood of Millburn, a Middle (6–8) and Upper School (9–12) campus in ...
in Elizabeth.
Personal life
Fowler married Hilda S. Heg, daughter of Hans Christian Heg, in 1879. They had a son, Charles N. Jr. In 1930, he moved to
Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange (known simply as Orange) is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 34,447, an increase o ...
.
Fowler died on May 27, 1932. He was interred in Fairview Cemetery in
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a Town (New Jersey), town in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 31,032, an increase of 716 (+2.4% ...
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
The Political Graveyard
The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 Politics of the United States, American political figures and List of United States political families, political families, along with other informa ...