Frederick Lundin

Frederick Lundin (May 18, 1868 – August 20, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois and a Republican Party political boss in Chicago. He also built up the organized crime syndicate later taken over by Al Capone in 1922.^[1]

Background

Born in the parish of Västra Tollstad, Hästholmen, Ödeshög Municipality, Östergötland County Sweden, Lundin immigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago, Illinois in 1880. After completing his academic studies, he served as president of Lundin & Co., manufacturing chemists.

Career

Lundin served as a member of the Illinois State Senate from 1894–1898. He was later selected to serve as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention from Illinois in 1904. In 1908 Lundin was elected as a Republican Congressman to the 61st United States Congress from Illinois' 7th congressional district, a Chicago seat. He was a one-term congressman from March 4, 1909 until March 3, 1911 and was defeated for reelection in 1910. He resumed manufacturing interests and became involved as a Republican party political boss in Chicago. Richard Norton Smith describes Lundin as

A Lorimer protege esteemed for his organizational gifts and excused for his eccentricities...For archaeologists of political roguery, he is the fossil evidence that democracy and flim-flaming go hand in hand. A man of many poses, Lundin referred to himself with contrived modesty as "the Poor Swede." Before entering politics, he had thrived as a patent medicine salesman peddling Juniper Ale, an all-purpose tonic concocted from juniper berries."

— Richard Norton Smith^[2]

Lundin was instrumental in the election of Big Bill Thompson as mayor in 1915 and succeeded in getting Thompson to appoint over 30,000 supporters to the city payroll in a form of political graft as all were required to kick back part of their pay to Lundin's organization. Lundin died in Beverly Hills, California on August 20, 1947 and was interred in Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois.

Bibliography

• United States Congress. "Frederick Lundin (id: L000515)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

References

1. Gustav Skogens (2011). "Svensk styrde Chicago före Al Capone". Allt om historia (1/2011): 46–49.
2. The Colonel. Richard Norton Smith. Pg 183. 1997. Houghton Mifflin

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.