author
Lemuel Ely Quigg
1863–1919
Best known as a fast-rising New York newspaperman who carried his influence into national politics, he moved between journalism, law, and Congress during the rough-and-tumble world of late 19th-century Republican politics. His career mixed editorial ambition, public office, and party leadership in a way that feels very of its era.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born near Chestertown, Maryland, on February 12, 1863, he grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and moved to New York City in 1880. He first built his reputation in journalism, editing the Flushing Times, working on the New York Tribune, and later serving as editor in chief of the New York Press.
That newspaper career opened the door to politics. A Republican, he represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1890s, after first winning a special election and then serving additional terms. He later studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in New York while remaining active in public life.
Quigg died in New York City on July 1, 1919. Remembered today less as a literary figure than as a vivid example of the old link between the press and politics, he left behind a career shaped by newspapers, campaigns, and the power networks of his time.