Edgar Dean Crumpacker, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Edgar Dean Crumpacker
EDGAR DEAN CRUMPACKER - The late Edgar Dean Crumpacker was conspicuous in the formative period of this community, and was at the early period one of the staunch champions of the Republican party. He was nominated for the office of mayor of Valparaiso in 1880, but with the rest of his ticket was defeated, and in 1884 was elected prosecuting attorney of Lake and Porter counties and was reelected in 1886 to the same office. His service here was of such high type that he was appointed one of five judges of the Appellate Court of Indiana March 12, 1891, by Governor Hovey, the court having been created in the same year. In 1892 he was nominated for the same office, but with the rest of his ticket went down to defeat. He served as chairman of the Tenth Indiana District for the republican party, and in 1896 was elected to Congress, representing that district. He served continuously until 1912, or for eight terms, and only suffered defeat at that time due to a division in the ranks of the republican party. His service in Congress will be remembered as distinctive in every sense; he was chosen chairman of the Census Committee, member of the Ways and Means Committee, and the Insular Affairs Committee. In all of these important duties he not only acquitted himself creditably, but in many phases of the accomplishments of these committees his advice was the dominant factor. In 1913 he again took up the practice of law in Valparaiso in association with a brother, Grant, and his son, Owen; he was thus engaged until his death on May 19, 1920. Charlotte Ann (Lucas) Crumpacker, wife of Edgar Dean Crumpacker, was one of eleven born to her parents. A brother, Rev. D. R. Lucas, was a prominent minister in Indianapolis and also served as state commander of the G. A. R. Mrs. Crumpacker taught school in Porter and LaPorte counties before her marriage, and as the wife of Congressman Crumpacker was on of the organizers of the Congressional Club at Washington, D. C. She was prominent in the affairs of the D. A. R., and served as regent of the William Henry Harrison Chapter of that organization. He interests in politics were more than academic; having a thorough knowledge of political fundamentals and being a staunch republican, she delivered many speeches in the various campaigns of her period. She passed away in June, 1925, and was laid to rest beside her beloved husband in Graceland Cemetery.
Source: Cannon, Thomas H., H. H. Loring, and Charles J. Robb. 1927. History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana Embracing the Counties of Lake, Porter and Laporte. Volume II. Indianapolis, Indiana: Historians' Association. 827 p.
Page(s) in Source: 39-40
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook