14 Facts About Gilbert Hitchcock

Gilbert Monell Hitchcock was an American congressman and US Senator from Nebraska, and the founder of the Omaha World-Herald newspaper.

Gilbert Hitchcock attended the public schools of Omaha and the gymnasium at Baden-Baden, Germany.

Gilbert Hitchcock graduated in 1881 from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity; he was then admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Omaha in 1882.

Gilbert Hitchcock continued the practice of law until 1885, when he established and edited the Omaha Evening World; four years later, he purchased the Nebraska Morning Herald and consolidated the two into the morning and evening editions of the Omaha World-Herald.

Gilbert Hitchcock's family had traditionally been Republicans, but Gilbert broke tradition and became a Democrat in response to agricultural issues and the leadership of fellow Nebraskan William Jennings Bryan.

Gilbert Hitchcock was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the Congress in 1898; four years later, he was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-eighth Congress.

Gilbert Hitchcock was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1904 to the Fifty-ninth Congress.

Gilbert Hitchcock was elected as a Democrat to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses.

Gilbert Hitchcock did not seek renomination in 1910, having become a candidate for the United States Senate.

Gilbert Hitchcock was elected as a Democrat to the Senate by the legislature on January 18,1911; he was reelected in 1916 and served from March 4,1911, to March 3,1923.

Gilbert Hitchcock was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 and for election in 1930.

Gilbert Hitchcock retired from active business in 1933 and moved to Washington, DC, where he died on February 3,1934.

Gilbert Hitchcock was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Omaha.

Collections of Senator Gilbert Hitchcock's papers are housed at the Library of Congress and Nebraska State Historical Society.