Lucius Littauer
Littauer in 1914
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York
In office March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1903
Preceded by	Newton Martin Curtis
Succeeded by	Cyrus Durey
Constituency	22nd district (1897–1903) 25th district (1903–1907)
Personal details
Born	(1859-01-20)January 20, 1859 Gloversville, New York, U.S.
Died	March 2, 1944(1944-03-02) (aged 85) New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Party	Republican
Education	Harvard University

Lucius Nathan Littauer (January 20, 1859 – March 2, 1944) was an American politician, businessman, andcollege football coach. He served in theUnited States House of Representatives fromNew York for five terms between 1897 and 1907. Littauer graduated fromHarvard University in 1878 and was the school's first head football coach, guiding theCrimson to a record of 6–1–1 in 1881.^[1]

In 1936, Littauer's donation of $2 million helped found Harvard's Graduate School of Public Administration, which was later renamed theHarvard Kennedy School in honor of formerU.S. PresidentJohn F. Kennedy and is routinely ranked as the world's top graduate school for public policy, social policy, international affairs, and government.

Littauer was born January 20, 1859, to aLithuanian-Jewish family ("Litauer" being German for "Lithuanian") inGloversville, New York. He moved with his parents toNew York City in 1865.

After attending the Charlier Institute for boys and young gentlemen inNew York City, Littauer attended and graduated fromHarvard University in 1878, and later coached theHarvard Crimson football team in 1881.^[2][3]

Returning to Gloversville, Littauer entered his father's glove making business and went on to become an officer and director of many commercial and financial institutions.

Littauer was elected as aRepublican to theFifty-fifth and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1907). He chose not to stand for reelection in 1906, returning instead to his glovemaking business. Littauer served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1900, 1904, 1908, and 1928, and was Regent of the University of the State of New York from 1912 to 1914.

On February 4, 1914, Littauer and his brother William were convicted of smuggling and conspiracy to defraud after admitting to having imported valuable jewels fromVenice worth in excess of $40,000 without paying the necessary duty. Federal District Court Judge Edwin S. Thomas sentenced Littauer to six months in jail, though the sentence was suspended. In his decision, Thomas stressed that Littauer's high standing served to aggravate the crime: "For an ex-congressman so far to forget his oath taken five times and knowing so well the provisions of the law he helped to frame seems to be incomprehensible."^[4]

Littauer retired in 1927 and devoted his energies to education, medical research, and philanthropic work.

In 1936, Littauer donated $2 million to help found Harvard's Graduate School of Public Administration, which is known today asHarvard Kennedy School at Harvard University. One of the buildings on Harvard Kennedy School's main campus is named in his honor.^[5]

He also offered to build a hospital in memory of his father, Nathan Littauer. This act of generosity stirred the citizens of the community to contribute another $10,000, and on May 30, 1894, the original Nathan Littauer Hospital was opened.^[6]

Littauer died at his country home nearNew Rochelle, New York, on March 2, 1944, and was interred in the Jewish Cemetery in New Rochelle.

• List of Jewish members of the United States Congress

• United States Congress."Lucius Littauer (id: L000347)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.

• 1859 births
• 1944 deaths
• Harvard University alumni
• Harvard Crimson football coaches
• Jewish American coaches of American football
• Jewish United States representatives
• Politicians from New Rochelle, New York
• People from Gloversville, New York
• Politicians from New York City
• Republican Party United States representatives from New York (state)
• Founders of American schools and colleges
• Philanthropists from New York (state)
• 19th-century United States representatives

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