John Rice Eden (February 1, 1826 – June 9, 1909) was an American lawyer and politician who a total of five terms served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois during three non-consecutive stints between 1863 and 1887.
Early life and career
Born in Bath County, Kentucky, Eden moved with his parents to Indiana. He attended public schools, and later studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1853 at Shelbyville, Illinois and commenced practice in Sullivan, Illinois.
He served as prosecuting attorney for the seventeenth judicial district of Illinois 1856-1860.
Congress
Eden was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1864 to the Thirty-ninth Congress. He was an unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois in 1868.
Eden was elected to the Forty-third, Forty-fourth, and Forty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879). He served as chairman of the Committee on War Claims (Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1878. He resumed the practice of law in Sullivan, Illinois.
Eden was elected to the Forty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1886.
Later career and death
He again engaged in the practice of law.
He died in Sullivan, Illinois, June 9, 1909. He was interred in Greenhill Cemetery.
References
- United States Congress. "John R. Eden (id: E000042)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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