Ohio Northern College of Law
Class of 1894
Dean 1896-1900
Simeon
D. Fess was born on a farm near Harrod, Allen County, Ohio, on December 11,
1861. He attended and later graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1889. Upon
graduating Fess taught American history at Ohio Northern University during the years
1889 until 1896.
During his time as a professor of history, Fess attended the Ohio Northern College of
Law school and graduated in 1894. He then became dean of the law department 1896
and served until 1900. He then served as vice president of the university until 1902.
He later attended the University of Chicago as a graduate student and lecturer from 1902
until 1907. In 1907 be became president of Antioch College, in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Fess was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third Congress and to the four succeeding
Congresses between the dates of March 4, 1913 through March 3, 1923. During this
time he was the chairman of the Committee on Education (Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh
Congresses).
In 1923 Fess did not seek renomination, after having become a candidate for Senator. He served as chairman of the
Republican National Congressional Committee 1918-1922, and was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in
1922. He ran incumbent in 1928 and was reelected and served until January 3, 1935. He unsuccessful ran for reelection in
1934. During his time in senate Fess was the Republican whip 1929-1933; chairman, Committee on the Library
(Sixty-ninth through Seventy-second Congresses); chairman of the Republican National Committee 1930-1932.
Simeon D. Fess died in Washington, D.C., December 23, 1936.
