Representative Frank Trimble O’Hair

Frank Trimble O’Hair (March 12, 1870 – August 3, 1932) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented his state in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1913 to 1915, participating in the legislative process during a significant period in American history and representing the interests of his constituents in Congress.

O’Hair was born on March 12, 1870. Details of his early life, including his place of birth, family background, and early education, are not extensively documented in the surviving public record. Like many public figures of his era, he likely received a basic education in local schools before pursuing professional training. His subsequent career in law and politics suggests that he undertook legal studies, either through formal schooling or apprenticeship, as was common in the late nineteenth century.

By the early twentieth century, O’Hair had established himself professionally and entered public life in Illinois. Trained as a lawyer, he became engaged in civic and political affairs at the local and state level, aligning with the Democratic Party at a time when Illinois politics were sharply contested between Democrats and Republicans. His legal background and party involvement positioned him to seek higher office, and he emerged as a Democratic candidate for Congress as the Progressive Era reshaped national political debates over regulation, economic reform, and the role of the federal government.

O’Hair was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives and served one term from 1913 to 1915. His tenure in Congress coincided with the administration of President Woodrow Wilson and a period of major legislative activity, including debates over tariff reform, banking and currency legislation, and the early outlines of progressive social and economic policy. As a member of the House of Representatives, Frank Trimble O’Hair participated in the democratic process, contributed to the legislative work of the chamber, and represented the interests of his Illinois constituents during this transformative era. Although he served only a single term, his time in office placed him within the broader national movement toward modernization of federal institutions and policy.

After leaving Congress in 1915, O’Hair returned to private life. Consistent with the pattern of many one-term representatives of his time, he is believed to have resumed his legal and civic activities in Illinois, drawing on his congressional experience in his professional and community roles. While the detailed record of his later career is limited, his continued identification as a former U.S. Representative from Illinois indicates that he remained a figure of some standing in his community and party.

Frank Trimble O’Hair died on August 3, 1932. His life and career, though only briefly intersecting with national office, reflected the opportunities and responsibilities of public service in the early twentieth century. As a Democratic Representative from Illinois during the 1913–1915 Congress, he contributed to the work of the House at a time of significant change in American political and economic life.