William D. Owen | |
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIndiana's10th district | |
| In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Jefferson Wood |
| Succeeded by | David H. Patton |
| Secretary of State of Indiana | |
| In office January 17, 1895 – January 16, 1899 | |
| Governor | Claude Matthews James A. Mount |
| Preceded by | William R. Myers |
| Succeeded by | Union B. Hunt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1846-09-06)September 6, 1846 |
| Died | Unknown |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Ross (d. 1885) Lucy A. (Williams) Luce (d. 1899) |
| Alma mater | Indiana University |
| Profession | Clergyman Attorney Editor Author Businessman |
William Dale Owen (his middle name is given as "Dunn" in some references) (September 6, 1846 – date of death unknown) was aU.S. representative fromIndiana. Before serving in Congress he was a clergyman, attorney, newspaper editor, and the author of two books. After serving in Congress and asSecretary of State of Indiana, he engaged in various business ventures, including promotion of coffee and rubber plantations inMexico. In 1905 his business partner was arrested; in 1906 the partner was convicted of fraud and theft, and imprisoned. Owen left the United States to avoid prosecution; what happened to him after he fled the country is not known.
Owen was born inBloomington, Indiana, the son of William D. Owen and Priscilla (Rawlings) Owen.[1] He was educated in Bloomington, and began working as a store clerk at age 13 to save money so that he could attend college.[2] He worked until age 18, including time as a farmhand and a brickyard laborer in addition to his work as a store clerk.[3] He attendedIndiana University in Bloomington for over two years, and left before graduating so that he could begin to study law in the office of a local attorney.[4]
He quit the study of law when he was called to the ministry; he received his ordination in theChristian Church in 1870, and became pastor of congregations inOxford, Indiana,Salem, Oregon,Tallula, Illinois, andChicago, Illinois.[5] In 1878 he resumed the study of law, attained admission to the bar, and began to practice, first in Oxford, and later inLogansport.[6] In addition, Owen was a part-owner and editor of two weekly newspapers, theLogansport Saturday Night[7] and theLogansport Sunday Critic.[8]
In 1880, Owen was aRepublican candidate for presidential elector; his party carried Indiana, and he cast his ballot for the ticket ofJames A. Garfield andChester A. Arthur.[9] Owen also published two well-received books, 1878'sSuccess In Life, And How To Secure It, and 1883'sThe Genius Of Industry, Or How Work Wins and Manhood Grows.[10]
Owen was elected as aRepublican to theForty-ninth,Fiftieth, andFifty-first Congresses (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891).[11] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1890 to theFifty-second Congress.[12]
From July 1, 1891, to April 7, 1893, Owen served as the first superintendent of the United States Office of Immigration; he had been chairman of the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization during his Congressional service, and played a lead role in passage of the legislation which created the agency.[13]
Owen was electedSecretary of State of Indiana in 1894[14] and served from January 17, 1895, to January 16, 1899.[15][16][17]
After leaving office, Owen engaged inreal estate speculation and invested incoffee andrubber plantations inMexico.[18]
In 1905, Owen and his business partner were indicted for fraud and theft in connection with the promotion of their Mexican plantations.[19] The partner was convicted and sentenced to prison.[20] Owen fled the United States to escape prosecution.[21] Individuals from Indiana later reported having seen Owen inParis,Switzerland, andEgypt, but the sightings did not lead to his arrest.[22][23]
An individual was arrested inGeorgia in 1909 and accused of being Owen.[24] Investigators subsequently determined it to be a case of mistaken identity, and the individual who had been detained was released.[25]
In 1871, Owen married Mary Ross ofCincinnati, Ohio.[26] They had two children who died infancy; she died in December 1885.[27][28]
In 1888, Owen married Lucy A. (Williams) Luce, a widow fromLogan, Iowa.[29][30] They had met in Washington; during the1888 Republican National Convention, Owen became ill and Luce nursed him until he was well.[31][32] The second Mrs. Owen died on a train inArkansas on April 1, 1899, while returning with her husband from a visit to his Mexican plantations.[33] She was buried in her hometown of Logan, Iowa.[34]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIndiana's 10th congressional district 1885 – 1891 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary of State of Indiana 1895–1899 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
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