Carl Chester Van Dyke 1881-1919
Carl Chester Van Dyke was an American politician and veteran of the Spanish-American War. He served as a U.S. Representative from Minnesota from 1917 until his death in 1919 and was also admitted to the Minnesota bar during his congressional career.
US Congressman
Carl Chester Van Dyke was born in Alexandria, Douglas County, MN on February 18, 1881. There is no information on a college education but he taught school in Douglas County, MN from 1899 to1901 when his age ranged from 18 to 20.
He served as a private in the Spanish-American War in Company B, Fifteenth Regiment of the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. In1914 he decided to run for a seat in the 64th U.S. Congress and was elected. He was successful in getting reelected to the next two U.S. Congresses and served from March 1917 in the 64th, the 65th and the 66th U.S. Congresses until his death in May 1919.
During his first term in the U.S. Congress he apparently went to St. Paul Law School and graduated. He was admitted to the Minnesota Bar at St. Paul in 1916 when he was 35 years old. The year before he passed away, on September 6, 1918 he was elected to be the President of the United Spanish War Veterans.
Carl Chester Van Dyke passed away on May 20, 1919 at the very young age of 38 in Washington, DC, while serving in the 66th U.S. Congress. There is no information on the cause of his early death. He was interred in a mausoleum in Forest Cemetery, St. Paul, MN.
Carl Chester Van Dyke was younger than another Minnesota Congressman by the name of John Van Dyke [1807-1888]. One would suspect that they are related but there is no information on it.
Explore More Dutch Americans
