David G. Classon

David Guy Classon (September 27, 1870 – September 6, 1930) was an American lawyer and politician. He represented Wisconsin's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for three terms.[1]

The Honorable David G. Classon
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 9th district
In office March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1923
Preceded by	Thomas F. Konop
Succeeded by	George J. Schneider
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 20th Circuit
In office 1928 – January 1, 1930
Appointed by	Fred R. Zimmerman
Preceded by	William B. Quinlan
Succeeded by	Arold Francis Murphy
Personal details
Born	David Guy Classon September 27, 1870 Oconto, Wisconsin
Died	September 6, 1930 (aged 59) Oconto, Wisconsin
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery Oconto, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Myrtle Leila Orr (died 1931)
Children	4

Biography

David G. Classon was born in Oconto, Wisconsin. He attended the public schools, and graduated from the law department of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1891, earning his LL.B.. He was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in Oconto. He was elected county judge of Oconto County, Wisconsin, from 1894 to 1898, and was then elected Mayor of Oconto from 1898 to 1900. After his two terms as mayor, he served as City attorney from 1900 to 1906, as president of the board of education in 1912 and 1913, and as president of the board of fire and police commissioners in 1915 and 1916.

In 1916, Classon was elected as a Republican to represent Wisconsin's 9th congressional district in the Sixty-fifth Congress, defeating Democratic incumbent Thomas F. Konop. He was then re-elected to the Sixty-sixth, and Sixty-seventh Congresses, serving until March 3, 1923.[2][3] In Congress, he was one of the two Wisconsin congressmen who voted in favor of the declaration of war with Germany during World War I, out of the eleven members of the Wisconsin delegation.[4] He was opposed to prohibition.

He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1922. He resumed the practice of law in Oconto, Wisconsin. After returning to Oconto, he served as circuit judge of the 20th circuit (1928–1930), filling the unexpired term of William B. Quinlan.[2] He died at his home in Oconto, Wisconsin, on September 6, 1930.[2][3] He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery.[3]

Electoral history

U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 9th District election, 1916[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 7, 1916
	Republican	David G. Classon	20,614	52.50%	+7.63%
	Democratic	Thomas F. Konop (incumbent)	18,078	46.04%	-5.26%
	Socialist	Frederick Nanman	576	1.47%
		Scattering	1	0.00%
Total votes			'39,269'	'100.0%'	+30.27%
	Republican gain from Democratic

U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 9th District election, 1918[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 5, 1916
	Republican	David G. Classon (incumbent)	16,352	60.43%	+7.93%
	Democratic	Andrew R. McDonald	10,702	39.55%	-6.49%
		Scattering	7	0.03%
Total votes			'27,061'	'100.0%'	-31.09%
	Republican hold

U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 9th District election, 1920[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 2, 1916
	Republican	David G. Classon (incumbent)	32,027	59.23%	-1.20%
	Democratic	Andrew R. McDonald	20,108	37.19%	-2.36%
	Socialist	Harry G. Hanrahan	1,933	3.57%
		Scattering	3	0.01%
Total votes			'27,061'	'100.0%'	-31.09%
	Republican hold

References

1. Classon, David Guy 1870 - 1930 (Wisconsin Historical Society)
2. "Ex-Judge Classon of Oconto Is Dead". The Capital Times. September 8, 1930. p. 13. Retrieved December 17, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Judge Classon, Noted Stawart, Dies at Oconto". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. September 8, 1930. p. 3. Retrieved December 17, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "TO ADOPT S. J. RES. 1, (43 STAT-1, APRIL 16, 1917), DECLARING THAT A STATE OF WAR EXISTS BETWEEN THE IMPERIAL GERMAN GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE U.S., AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT TO EMPLOY ENTIRE NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES OF THE U. S. AND RESOURCES OF GOVERNMENT TO CARRY ON WAR AGAINST GERMANY. (P. 306-1)". govtrack. govtrack. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
5. "Election statistics". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1917 (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1917. p. 291. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
6. Hunter, Paul F., ed. (1919). "Election statistics". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1919 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 156. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
7. "Election statistics". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1921 (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1921. p. 156. Retrieved December 14, 2019.

Other sources

• United States Congress. "David G. Classon (id: C000474)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

External links

• Works by or about David G. Classon at Internet Archive