Representative Harry Hunter Seldomridge

Harry Hunter Seldomridge (October 1, 1864 – November 2, 1927) was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from Colorado from 1913 to 1915. His congressional service took place during a significant period in American history, and as a member of the House of Representatives he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Colorado constituents.

Seldomridge was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 1, 1864, and attended the public schools of that city. In February 1878 he moved with his family to Colorado Springs, Colorado, which would remain the center of his personal and professional life. He pursued higher education at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, graduating in 1885, and thereby joined the ranks of the early college-educated professionals in the developing Rocky Mountain region.

After completing his education, Seldomridge entered journalism. From 1886 to 1888 he served as city editor of the Colorado Springs Gazette, a position that placed him at the center of local civic affairs and public discourse during a period of rapid growth in Colorado Springs. In 1888 he left journalism and engaged in the grain and hay business, beginning a long career in business that complemented his emerging role in public life.

Seldomridge became active in Democratic Party politics in Colorado in the 1890s. He served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1896, participating in national party deliberations during a pivotal election year marked by debates over monetary policy and economic reform. That same year he was elected to the Colorado State Senate, where he served from 1896 to 1904. In state government he helped shape legislation during a formative era for Colorado’s political and economic development. He later served as a member and president of the state charter convention at Colorado Springs in 1909, playing a leading role in efforts to revise and modernize local governmental structures.

A member of the Democratic Party, Seldomridge was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third Congress and served as a Representative from Colorado from March 4, 1913, to March 3, 1915. His single term in the U.S. House of Representatives coincided with the early years of the Woodrow Wilson administration, a time of significant federal legislative activity on issues such as banking, tariffs, and regulatory reform. During this period, Harry Hunter Seldomridge contributed to the legislative process and participated in the democratic governance of the nation while representing the interests of his Colorado constituents. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1914 to the Sixty-fourth Congress, bringing his federal legislative career to a close after one term in office.

Following his service in Congress, Seldomridge resumed his former business pursuits in Colorado. He also continued his involvement in financial and public affairs, serving as receiver of the Mercantile National Bank of Pueblo from 1915 to 1923, a position that entrusted him with the management and orderly disposition of the bank’s affairs. He was later appointed public trustee of El Paso County, Colorado, by Governor William Sweet, further reflecting the confidence placed in his integrity and administrative abilities in matters of public trust and finance.

Harry Hunter Seldomridge died in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on November 2, 1927. He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, closing a life marked by service in journalism, business, state government, and the United States Congress during a transformative period in both Colorado and national history.