Charles W. F. Dick | |
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| United States Senator fromOhio | |
| In office March 23, 1904 – March 3, 1911 | |
| Preceded by | Marcus A. Hanna |
| Succeeded by | Atlee Pomerene |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's19th district | |
| In office November 8, 1898 – March 23, 1904 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen A. Northway |
| Succeeded by | W. Aubrey Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1858-11-03)November 3, 1858 |
| Died | March 13, 1945(1945-03-13) (aged 86) Akron, Ohio |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Carrie M. Peterson |
| Children | 5 |
Charles William Frederick Dick (November 3, 1858 – March 13, 1945) was aRepublican politician fromOhio. He served in theUnited States House of Representatives andU.S. Senate.
Born inAkron, Ohio, his parents were Gottlieb Dick (a Scots/German immigrant), and Magdalena or "Lena" (Von Handel) Dick, who immigrated to the United States fromHeidelberg, Germany.[1] On June 30, 1881, Dick married Carrie May Peterson, the daughter of Dr. James Holman Peterson and Caroline Van Evera. They had five children:[1][2] James, Lucius, Carl, Grace (Mrs. Edgar Williams) and Dorothy (Mrs. William Robinson). Dick was a Scottish RiteMason,Odd Fellow, andKnight of Pythias.[2]
"Charley" Dick was educated in Akron, and worked at several stores and banks. In 1886, he was the successfulRepublican nominee forSummit County auditor, and he was re-elected in 1888.[1] He alsoread law, and wasadmitted to the bar in 1894.[1] Dick was a delegate to the1892,1896 and1900 Republican National Conventions.[1] He was elected Chairman of theOhio Republican Party in 1887 and 1891,[3] and served as the Secretary of theRepublican National Committee from 1896 to 1900.[4]
In November 1885 Dick joined theOhio Army National Guard as aprivate in Company B, 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment, and he was commissioned as afirst lieutenant a few days later.[5] His regiment volunteered for service in theSpanish–American War, and Dick served inCuba as amajor andlieutenant colonel. He continued his military service after the war, and attained the rank ofmajor general as head of the Ohio National Guard.[6] From 1902 to 1909 he was president of theNational Guard Association of the United States.[7]
He was elected to theUnited States House of Representatives by aspecial election in 1898 to fill a vacancy created by the death ofStephen A. Northway, serving the19th district.[8]
Dick was Chairman of the Militia Committee,[9] and sponsored theMilitia Act of 1903 (the Dick Act).[10] This act codified the circumstances under which the National Guard in each state could be federalized, provided federal resources for equipping and training the National Guard, and required National Guard units to organize and meet the same readiness requirements as the regular Army.
Dick served until he resigned in 1904, having been elected to theSenate to fill the vacancy created by the death ofMarcus A. Hanna.[11]
In the Senate he served as chairman of the Mining Committee[12] and the Committee on Indian Depredations.[13] He also was the head of a Congressional Committee which investigated hazing at theUnited States Military Academy.[14] He served until 1911, when he lost a bid for a second term.[15]
While in Congress, he became one of the largest stockholders in theGoodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and served as avice president and member of theboard of directors.[16]
Dick practiced law after leaving the Senate, and pursued a successful business career, including ownership of the Franklin Square Hotel inWashington, D.C.,[17] and the Hotel Chatham inNew York City.[18]
He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House in 1918, losing toMartin L. Davey.[19][20] In 1922 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, losing toSimeon D. Fess.[21]
From 1941 until his death in Akron on March 13, 1945, Dick was the oldest living former US Senator. He was buried in Akron's Glendale Cemetery.
Since 1988 theNational Guard Association of the United States presents the annualCharles Dick Medal of Merit to recognize support for the National Guard by state and federal legislators.[22]
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