Christian William Ramseyer

Who was Christian William Ramseyer?

Christian William Ramseyer was a nine-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 6th congressional district.

Born near Collinsville, Ohio, Ramseyer moved to Davis County, Iowa, in 1887 and settled near Pulaski. He attended the public schools. He graduated from the Southern Iowa Normal School in 1897 and from Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 1902. He taught school for nine years, and was principal and later superintendent of the Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Iowa. He was graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1906. He was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced the practice of law in Bloomfield. He served as prosecuting attorney of Davis County from 1911 to 1915.

In 1914, Ramseyer was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth Congress. He was re-elected eight consecutive times. However, in 1931, Iowa lost two congressional seats, and the resulting reapportionment placed Ramseyer and former 8th congressional district congressman Lloyd Thurston in the same district. In 1932 the two incumbents opposed each other for the Republican nomination for that district, but Thurston prevailed in the primary. In all, Ramseyer served in the House from March 4, 1915 to March 3, 1933.