Representative Charles Henry Sloan

Charles Henry Sloan (May 2, 1863 – June 2, 1946) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska’s 4th congressional district from 1911 to 1919, and again from 1929 to 1931. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Nebraska in Congress for a total of five terms, contributing to the legislative process during a significant period in American history and participating in the democratic process on behalf of his constituents.

Sloan was born on May 2, 1863, in Monticello, Jones County, Iowa. He spent his early years in the Midwest during a time of rapid national expansion and post–Civil War reconstruction. His upbringing in a rural environment shaped his understanding of agricultural and local concerns that would later inform his public service. As a young man, he pursued education and professional training that prepared him for a career in law and politics.

After completing his early schooling, Sloan studied law and was admitted to the bar, beginning the legal career that underpinned his later political work. He established himself as an attorney and became active in local affairs, gaining experience in public issues and governance. His legal practice and growing reputation in civic life helped to build the foundation for his entry into elective office and his eventual rise to national prominence as a representative of Nebraska.

Sloan’s political career developed in Nebraska, where he aligned with the Republican Party at a time when it was a dominant force in state and national politics. He became known as a committed party member and an advocate for the interests of his region, particularly those of farmers, small communities, and emerging local institutions. His involvement in party activities and public debates on policy issues led to his selection as a candidate for the United States House of Representatives.

Elected as a Republican to the Sixty-second Congress, Sloan began his service in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 4, 1911, representing Nebraska’s 4th congressional district. He was subsequently re-elected to the Sixty-third, Sixty-fourth, and Sixty-fifth Congresses, serving continuously until March 3, 1919. During these four consecutive terms, he took part in deliberations and legislation during a transformative era that included the Progressive movement and the First World War. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents, contributing to debates and votes on national policy, economic issues, and wartime measures.

After leaving Congress in 1919, Sloan returned to private life and the practice of law, remaining engaged in public affairs and Republican politics in Nebraska. A decade later, he re-entered national office when he was again elected to Congress. He served a final term in the House in the Seventy-first Congress from March 4, 1929, to March 3, 1931, once more representing Nebraska’s 4th congressional district. His return to Washington placed him in the midst of the onset of the Great Depression, and he again took part in the legislative process during a period of mounting economic crisis.

In his later years, Sloan continued to be recognized as a figure of long-standing public service, identified with Nebraska’s representation in Congress over two distinct periods separated by ten years. He lived to see the profound changes that followed the eras in which he had served, including the New Deal and the Second World War. Charles Henry Sloan died on June 2, 1946, closing a life that had spanned from the Civil War era through the mid-twentieth century and had included notable service in the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the people of Nebraska.