Ralph Edwin Church (May 5, 1883 – March 21, 1950) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He served in the

Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 representativ ...

from 1917 to 1932 and then represented the northern suburbs of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

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 seven terms. He died in office in 1950 while testifying at a congressional hearing.

Early life and career

Church was born on a farm near

Catlin, Illinois Catlin is a village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,040 at the 2010 census, and 1,952 in 2018. Catlin is the hometown of Illinois State Repr ...

Vermillion County, Illinois Vermilion County is a county in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties. According to the 2020 United States census ...

. He went to Danville High School in

Danville, Illinois Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The populations was 29,204 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Danville micropolitan area. History The area that is now Danville was on ...

. He received his bachelor's degree from

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

and his master's and law degrees from

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

. Church was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1909 and practiced law in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. He lived with his wife Marguerite S. Church and their family in

Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, situated on the North Shore (Chicago), North Shore along Lake Michigan. A suburb of Chicago, Evanston is north of Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skok ...

. He served in the United States Navy 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 ...

Political career

Church served in the

from 1917 to 1932 as a Republican. Church then served in the

from 1935 to 1941 and from 1943 until his death in 1950. Church died suddenly while giving testimony before a Congressional House committee about expenditures. His wife Marguerite was elected in a special election to succeed her husband in the United States House of Representatives.'Marguerite Church. Ex-Congresswoman,' The Chicago Tribune, Kerry Tuft, May 27, 1990

References

External links

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Memorial services held in the House of Representatives of the United States, together with remarks presented in eulogy of Ralph Edwin Church, late a representative from Illinois frontispiece 1950
1883 births 1950 deaths Politicians from Evanston, Illinois Military personnel from Evanston, Illinois Politicians from Vermilion County, Illinois Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives Lawyers from Chicago Northwestern University alumni University of Michigan alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Illinois-Ilrepresentative-Republican-stub

Early life and career

Political career

See also

References

External links