Frank Brandegee
United States Senator fromConnecticut
In office May 10, 1905 – October 14, 1924
Preceded by	Orville H. Platt
Succeeded by	Hiram Bingham III
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromConnecticut's3rd district
In office November 4, 1902 – May 10, 1905
Preceded by	Charles A. Russell
Succeeded by	Edwin W. Higgins
Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office 1899–1901
Preceded by	Joseph L. Barbour
Succeeded by	John H. Light
Member of theConnecticut House of Representatives fromNew London
In office 1899–1901
In office 1889–1891
Personal details
Born	Frank Bosworth Brandegee (1864-07-08)July 8, 1864 New London,Connecticut, U.S.
Died	October 14, 1924(1924-10-14) (aged 60) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, Connecticut
Political party	Republican
Education	Yale College
Profession	Attorney

Frank Bosworth Brandegee (July 8, 1864 – October 14, 1924) was aUnited States representative andsenator fromConnecticut.

Brandegee was born inNew London, Connecticut, on July 8, 1864. He was the son ofAugustus Brandegee, who also served in the United States House, and his wife.^[1]

Brandegee graduated from New London's Bulkeley High School in 1881. He completed his degree atYale College in 1885, where he was a member ofSkull and Bones.^[2]: 1369 He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1888 and practiced in New London.^[3]

ARepublican, in 1888 Brandegee served in theConnecticut House of Representatives. He was appointed and worked as New London's Corporation Counsel from 1889 to 1893 and 1894 to 1897.^[4]

He returned to the Connecticut House in 1899 and served asSpeaker. He served again as New London's Corporation Counsel from 1901 to 1902 when he resigned because he had been elected to Congress.^[5]

Brandegee was elected as aRepublican to the Fifty-seventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofCharles A. Russell. He was reelected to the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses and served from November 4, 1902, until May 10, 1905, when he resigned.^[6]

Brandegee was a delegate to several state and national Republican conventions, and was chairman of theConnecticut Republican Party's 1904 state convention.^[7][8][9]

Brandegee resigned from the House to accept election to the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy caused by the death ofOrville H. Platt.^[10]

He was reelected in 1908, 1914, and 1920, and served from May 10, 1905, until his death.^[11]

A staunch "Old Guard" conservative, Brandegee opposed women's suffrage and America's participation in theLeague of Nations.^[12][13][14] In1920 Brandegee was also one of the chief promoters ofWarren G. Harding forPresident.^[15][16]

In the Senate he was Chairman of the following committees: Interoceanic Canals (Sixty-second Congress); Panama (Sixty-second Congress); Pacific Railroads (Sixty-third throughSixty-fifth Congresses); Library (Sixty-sixth andSixty-seventh Congresses); and Judiciary (Sixty-eighth Congress).^[17]

Brandegee wasPresident pro tempore during two days (March 25-26, 1912) of the Senate in theSixty-second Congress (1911 to 1913).^[18]

Brandegee never married and had no children.^[19]

He killed himself inWashington, D.C. on October 14, 1924, inhaling fumes from agas light in a seldom used bathroom on the third floor of his home.^[20] According to published accounts, he was in ill health and had lost most of his fortune through bad investments.^[21] Press reports at the time indicated that he left his chauffeur a suicide note and $100, with another $100 for two other household servants.^[22][23]

He was interred atCedar Grove Cemetery in New London.^[24]

• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1900–1949)

Wikimedia Commons has media related toFrank Bosworth Brandegee.

• United States Congress."Frank B. Brandegee (id: B000769)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Frank Brandegee atThe Political Graveyard
• U.S. Government Printing Office,Frank B. Brandegee: Memorial Addresses Delivered in the Senate and House of Representatives, 1925

• 1864 births
• 1924 suicides
• 1924 deaths
• Yale College alumni
• Republican Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives
• Speakers of the Connecticut House of Representatives
• Connecticut lawyers
• American politicians who died by suicide
• Suicides in Washington, D.C.
• Suicides by gas
• Republican Party United States senators from Connecticut
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut
• Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate
• 19th-century American lawyers
• Members of Skull and Bones
• 20th-century United States senators
• 20th-century United States representatives
• 19th-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly

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