Nelson Burr Gaskill (September 1875 – October 6, 1964) was the chair of the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

from December 1, 1921, to November 30, 1922.List of Commissioners, Chairwomen, and Chairmen of the Federal Trade Commission: 1915-2018 (as of November 2018)
The son of New Jersey judge Joseph H. Gaskill,"Joseph H. Gaskill Dead at 85 Years", ''The Bridgewater Courier-News'' (November 26, 1935), p. 3. Gaskill received his undergraduate degree from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

in 1896,William E. Kovacic & Marc Winerman, "Outpost Years for a Start-Up Agency: The FTC from 1921-1925", 172 ''Antitrust L.J.'' 145, 174 (2010)."Col. Nelson Gaskill", ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' (October 9, 1964), p. C7. where he won a senior prize for oratory, followed by a law degree from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

. He joined the New Jersey National Guard, where he was elected captain of his company in 1902, and served as Assistant Attorney General for New Jersey. He eventually attained the rank of colonel in the New Jersey National Guard, and was active during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

."Former New Jersey Official Named as Trade Board Member", ''Los Angeles Evening Express'' (February 13, 1920), p. 20. In 1919, 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 ...

appointed Gaskill to a seat on the Federal Trade Commission vacated by the retirement of

John Franklin Fort John Franklin Fort (March 20, 1852 – November 17, 1920) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 33rd governor of New Jersey, from 1908 to 1911. His uncle, George Franklin Fort, was a Democratic governor of New Jersey f ...

, due to illness. Gaskill was reappointed to the FTC by President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...

in 1924."Official Re-appointed", ''Iowa City Press-Citizen'' (October 4, 1924), p. 1. Gaskill died at the age of 89.

References

1875 births 1964 deaths Federal Trade Commission personnel Princeton University alumni Harvard Law School alumni New Jersey National Guard personnel {{US-gov-bio-stub