Frank H. Funk Explained

Frank H. Funk
State:Illinois
Term Start:March 4, 1921
Term End:March 3, 1927
Predecessor:Frank L. Smith
Successor:Homer W. Hall
Office2:Member of the Illinois Senate
Term2:1909-1911
Birth Date:5 April 1869
Birth Place:Bloomington, Illinois
Death Place:Bloomington, Illinois
Party:Republican

Frank Hamilton Funk (April 5, 1869 – November 24, 1940) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois, son of Benjamin F. Funk and grandson of Isaac Funk.

Early life

Born in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, Funk attended the public schools and the Illinois Normal School at Normal, Illinois. He was graduated from the Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, in 1888 and from Yale University in 1891. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and livestock production in Bloomington, Illinois, member of the Illinois Republican State central committee 1906-1912.[1]

Illinois Senate

Funk was elected to the Illinois Senate from the 26th district in 1908. He won a four-way race, winning 11,172 votes to the Democrat's 7,195, Prohibition's 1,492, and the Socialist's 192 votes.[2] He succeeded George W. Stubblefield.[3]

He served as member from 1909-1913.[4]

Progressive Party

He was an unsuccessful candidate of the Progressive Party for Governor of Illinois in 1912. He served as chairman of the Illinois delegation to the Progressive National Conventions in 1912 and 1916. He was an unsuccessful Progressive nominee for United States Senator in 1913.

Congress

He served as commissioner on the Illinois Public Utilities Commission 1914-1921. He served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1920.

Funk was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-seventh, Sixty-eighth, and Sixty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1927). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1926. He retired from public life and active business pursuits. He resided in Bloomington until his death there on November 24, 1940. He was interred in Funk's Grove Cemetery, Funk's Grove, Illinois.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Illinois Blue Book 1909-1910. December 27, 2023. Illinois Secretary of State. Springfield, Illinois. Biographies and Portraits of the 46th General Assembly. Rose. James A.. 220.
  2. Book: Illinois Blue Book 1909-1910. Illinois Secretary of State. Springfield, Illinois. 1908 General Election (Tables). Rose. James A.. 422.
  3. Book: Hasbrouck, Jacob Louis. History of McLean County, Illinois. 2. 1924. Historical Publishing Company. December 27, 2023. Google Books.
  4. Book: Hasbrouck, Jacob Louis. History of McLean County, Illinois. 2. 1924. Historical Publishing Company. December 27, 2023. 291. University of Illinois Libraries.