Frank B. Brandegee, U.S. Senator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_B._Brandegee

Brandegee, Hon. Frank Bosworth, United States senator, lawyer, and one of the most prominent Republicans in Connecticut, was born in New London, Connecticut, July 8th, 1864. He is a descendant of Jacob Brandegee, a native of Nine Points, New York, who settled New Britain in the middle of the eighteenth century and founded the Connecticut branch of the family. John Brandegee, his grandfather, was a prosperous cotton broker of New Orleans, who came to New London and engaged in the whaling industry, and in many public enterprises. On the maternal side, Senator Brandegee is descended from Daniel Deschamps, a Huguenot refugee at the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and from Captain Daniel Deshon, who commanded an armed vessel during the War of the Revolution. The other two Huguenot ancestors, John and Richard Deshon, served with conspicuous credit as captains of companies of Connecticut militia in the Revolution. Puritan as well as Huguenot blood flows in the Brandegee veins, for their family ancestry is also traceable to the historic Elder Brewster. Senator Brandegee's father, Hon. Augustus Brandegee, one of the most distinguished lawyers and politicians Connecticut has ever produced, was four times a member of Congress, an able speaker, and a popular political leader. His wife, the present senator's mother, was Nancy Bosworth Brandegee.

After the usual public school experience Frank Brandegee prepared for college at the Bulkeley High School in New London, where he graduated in 1881. He then entered Yale University where he won honors both for excellent scholarship and for prowess in athletics. After taking his degree in 1885 he went abroad, visiting Great Britain and Continental Europe, and later Alaska, Canada, and the Hawaiian Islands. Returning home, he was admitted to the New London County Bar in 1888 and, following in his father's work steps, he began the practice of law and became a member of the w--- known law firm of Brandegee, Noyes & Brandegee. Like his fatherhe was singled out for political honors very early in his career, and in 1888, the first year of his legal practice, he represented New London in the General Assembly, and was chairman of the committee on cities and boroughs during his term of office. In 1889 he was elected corporation counsel of the city of New London, and held this office continously, with the exception of two years when his party was not in power, until he resigned it upon his election as representative in Congress in 1902. His consistent party loyalty, rare executive ability, and marked capacity for leadership gained him rapidly growing prominence among the Republicans of the State, and he was their delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1888, 1892, 1900, and 1904, and in the last named year he was chairman of the delegation. Since 1898 he has been a member of the Republican State Central Committee. In 1898 he was again elected State representative, and was Speaker of the Connecticut House in 1899. In 1902 he was elected to the 57th Congress at its second session to fill a vacancy left by the death of Charles A. Russell, and was reelected representative to the 57th and 58th Congresses by large majorities in both instances. He served with great success on the committee of naval affairs, and has been a most prominent and active Congressman. In 1905 he was elected to fill the senatorial vacancy caused by the death of Orville H. Platt. His term of office as United States senator will expire March 4th, 1909.

As a speaker Senator Brandegee is forceful, just persuasive, and eloquent, and he is as able a writer as he is orator. His fine mind, his ability to understand men and conditions, his public spirit and personal integrity have won him high places in politics and in his profession, and he is truly "the distingushed son of a distingushed father."

Title Men of Mark in Connecticut

Editor(s) Norris Galpin Osborn

Publisher W.R. Goodspeed

Publication Date 1906

pg 54

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BRANDEGEE, Frank Bosworth, (son of Augustus Brandegee), a Representative and a Senator from Connecticut; born in New London, Conn., July 8, 1864; attended the common schools, and graduated from Yale College in 1885; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1888 and practiced in New London; member, State house of representatives 1888; corporation counsel of New London 1889-1893, 1894-1897, when he resigned; member, State house of representatives 1899, and served as speaker; again elected corporation counsel of New London 1901-1902, when he resigned to become a Member of Congress; chairman of the Republican State convention in 1904; elected as a Republican to the Fifty-seventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles A. Russell; reelected to the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses and served from November 4, 1902, until May 10, 1905, when he resigned, having been elected a United States Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Orville H. Platt; reelected in 1908, 1914, and 1920, and served from May 10, 1905, until his death by suicide in Washington, D.C., October 14, 1924; served as President pro tempore during the Sixty-second Congress; chairman, Committee on Forest Reservations and Game Protection (Fifty-ninth through Sixty-first Congresses), Committee on Interoceanic Canals (Sixty-second Congress), Committee on Panama (Sixty-second Congress), Committee on Pacific Railroads (Sixty-third through Sixty-fifth Congresses), Committee on Library (Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh Congresses), Committee on Judiciary (Sixty-eighth Congress); interment in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, Conn.

(Biographical Directory of the United States Congress)