author
Frank O. (Frank Orren) Lowden
1861–1943
A farm boy who rose to become governor of Illinois and a serious Republican presidential contender, he built a reputation for practical politics and financial reform. His career bridged law, public service, and agriculture at a time of big change in American life.
1 Audiobook
Lincoln, the American
by Frank O. (Frank Orren) Lowden
About the author
Born in Minnesota in 1861 and raised in rural Iowa, Frank Orren Lowden grew up in modest circumstances and taught school before studying at the University of Iowa and then law in Chicago. He built a successful legal career, later taught law, and became active in Republican politics.
Lowden served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois and then as governor of Illinois from 1917 to 1921. He became especially known for pushing state government reform and for his attention to budgeting and administration, which helped make him a nationally recognized Republican leader.
He was a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1920 and remained an influential figure in national politics afterward. Alongside his political life, he was also closely identified with farming and livestock interests, a connection that reflected the agricultural roots he never really left behind.