Henry Vollmer

Who was Henry Vollmer?

Henry Vollmer was an attorney, the mayor of Davenport, Iowa, and a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district. Winning a special election in 1914, he served just over one year in Congress.

Born in Davenport, Vollmer attended the public schools of Davenport. Following graduation from high school, he travelled to Washington, D.C. to work as a distributing clerk of the Fiftieth Congress in 1887 and 1888. He studied law at the University of Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.. He was admitted to the bar in 1889 and commenced practice in Davenport. He served as member of the board of aldermen of Davenport in 1889, as mayor of Davenport from 1893 to 1897, and as a member of the board of education in Davenport from 1898 to 1901. He later became corporation counsel for Davenport in 1913 and 1914.

From 1911 to 1913, Iowa's 2nd congressional district was represented by Democrat Irvin S. Pepper. Pepper died on December 22, 1913, midway through his second term. In a special election held in February 1914, Vollmer defeated Republican Harry E. Hull, succeeding Pepper in the Sixty-third Congress.