Edmund Platt (February 2, 1865 – August 7, 1939) was an American politician and corporate executive who served as the 4th vice chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1920 to 1930. A member of the Republican Party, he had represented 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 ...

for four terms from 1913 to 1920.

Biography

Born in

Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie is in the Hudson River Valley region, midway between the core of the New ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

he attended a private school and Riverview Academy. He graduated from

Eastman Business College The Eastman Business College was a business school located in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. It operated from 1859 until it closed in 1931. At the height of its success, the school was one of the largest commercial colleges in the United S ...

in Poughkeepsie and learned the printer's trade. He graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

in 1888 and taught school and studied law.

Early career

He moved to

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

and edited the ''

Superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places * Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lak ...

Evening Telegram'' in 1890 and 1891. He returned to Poughkeepsie in 1891 and engaged in editing and publishing the ''Poughkeepsie Eagle''; he was also a member of the board of water commissioners of Poughkeepsie.

Congress

Platt was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third and to the three succeeding Congresses and held office from March 4, 1913 to June 7, 1920, when he resigned to accept appointment by President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

to the

Federal Reserve Board The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, commonly known as the Federal Reserve Board, is the main governing body of the Federal Reserve System. It is charged with overseeing the Federal Reserve Banks and with helping implement the mo ...

. While in the House of Representatives, he was chairman of the Committee on Banking and Currency (Sixty-sixth Congress).

Federal Reserve

Platt became vice chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in August 1920 and served until 1930 when he resigned. Ironically, as a congressman he voted against the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913.

Later career

He returned to Poughkeepsie and engaged in an extensive banking business.

Death and burial

Platt died in

Chazy, New York Chazy is a town in northeastern Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 4,096 at the 2020 census. The closest city is Plattsburgh, to the south. Chazy is south of the Canada–United States border. The ZIP code is 12 ...

while on a visit in 1939; interment was in the

Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery The Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery is a rural cemetery located in Poughkeepsie, New York and includes the gravesites of several notable figures. It also has a crematory. The forty-four acres of land used for the cemetery were purchased by Matthew Vas ...

References

External links

Statements and Speeches of Edmund Platt
{{DEFAULTSORT:Platt, Edmund 1865 births 1939 deaths American newspaper editors Burials at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery Harvard University alumni Journalists from New York (state) Politicians from Poughkeepsie, New York Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Vice chairs of the Federal Reserve Woodrow Wilson administration personnel Harding administration personnel Coolidge administration personnel Hoover administration personnel 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives