Representative Eugene Burgess Crowe

Eugene Burgess Crowe (January 5, 1878 – May 12, 1970) was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served five terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1931 to 1941. Over the course of a decade in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his Indiana constituents during the Great Depression and the early years of the New Deal.

Details of Crowe’s early life and education are not extensively documented in the available sources, but he was born on January 5, 1878, and later established himself as a businessman before entering national politics. His experience in business provided a foundation for his later public service and informed his perspective on economic and legislative issues facing his district and the nation.

Crowe’s professional career prior to his election to Congress centered on his work as a businessman. This background helped shape his understanding of commerce, employment, and local economic conditions, which became important themes in his political career. His involvement in local affairs and the Democratic Party eventually led to his candidacy for national office, where he sought to bring the concerns of his community to the federal level.

Elected as a Democrat, Crowe won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1930 and took office in the Seventy-second Congress on March 4, 1931. He was subsequently reelected to the four succeeding Congresses, serving continuously through the Seventy-third, Seventy-fourth, Seventy-fifth, and Seventy-sixth Congresses. His tenure thus extended from March 4, 1931, to January 3, 1941. During these five terms, he participated in the democratic process at a time when Congress was addressing the economic crisis of the Great Depression, the implementation of New Deal programs, and the evolving challenges of domestic and international policy in the interwar period.

As a member of the House of Representatives, Eugene Burgess Crowe represented Indiana and worked to advance the interests of his constituents through his legislative activities. Serving as part of the Democratic majority during much of his tenure, he contributed to debates and votes on measures designed to promote economic recovery, social welfare, and infrastructure development. His decade in Congress coincided with major shifts in the role of the federal government, and he took part in shaping the policies that responded to those changes.

Crowe’s congressional service concluded after he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1940 to the Seventy-seventh Congress. His defeat ended his tenure in the House on January 3, 1941, after five consecutive terms. Following his departure from Congress, he returned to private life, drawing on his earlier experience in business and remaining identified with the Democratic Party and his record of public service.

Eugene Burgess Crowe lived for nearly three decades after leaving Congress. He died on May 12, 1970. His career reflected the trajectory of a businessman-turned-legislator who served during one of the most consequential eras in twentieth-century American governance, and his decade in the House of Representatives marked his principal contribution to public life.