Charles W . F . Dick Charles William Frederick Dick ( November 3 , 1858March 13 , 1945 ) was a Republican politician from Ohio . He served in the United States House of Representatives and U . S . Senate . Biography . Born in Akron , Ohio , his parents were Gottlieb Dick ( a Scotch / German immigrant ) , and Magdalena or " Lena " ( Von Handel ) Dick , who immigrated to the United States from Heidelberg , Germany . On June 30 , 1881 , Dick married Carrie May Peterson , the daughter of Dr . James Holman Peterson and Caroline Van Evera . They had five children . James , Lucius , Carl , Grace ( Mrs . Edgar Williams ) and Dorothy ( Mrs . William Robinson ) . Dick was a Scottish Rite Mason , Odd Fellow , and Knight of Pythias . Early career . " Charley " Dick was educated in Akron , and worked at several stores and banks . In 1886 he was the successful Republican nominee for Summit County Auditor , and he was re - elected in 1888 . He also studied law , and was admitted to the bar in 1894 . Dick was a delegate to the 1892 , 1896 and 1900 Republican National Conventions . He was elected Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party in 1887 and 1891 , and served as the Secretary of the Republican National Committee from 1896 to 1900 . Military career . In November , 1885 Dick joined the Ohio Army National Guard as a Private in Company B , 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment , and he was commissioned as a First Lieutenant a few days later . His regiment volunteered for service in the Spanish - American War , and Dick served in Cuba as a Major and Lieutenant Colonel . He continued his military service after the war , and attained the rank of Major General as head of the Ohio National Guard . From 1902 to 1909 he was President of the national Guard Association of the United States . Congressional career . He was elected to the United States House of Representatives by a special election in 1898 to fill a vacancy created by the death of Stephen A . Northway , serving the . Dick was Chairman of the Militia Committee , and sponsored the Militia Act of 1903 ( the Dick Act ) . This act codified the circumstances under which the National Guard in each state could be federalized , provided federal resources for equipping and training the National Guard , and required National Guard units to organize and meet the same readiness requirements as the regular Army . Dick served until he resigned in 1904 , having been elected to the Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Marcus A . Hanna . In the Senate he served as Chairman of the Mining Committee and the Committee on Indian Depredations . He also was the head of a Congressional Committee which investigated hazing at the United States Military Academy . He served until 1911 , when he lost a bid for a second term . While in Congress , he became one of the largest stockholders in the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company , and served as a Vice President and member of the Board of Directors . Later life . Dick practiced law after leaving the Senate , and pursued a successful business career , including ownership of the Franklin Square Hotel in Washington , D . C . and the Hotel Chatham in New York City . He ran unsuccessfully for the U . S . House in 1918 , losing to Martin L . Davey . In 1922 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican U . S . Senate nomination , losing to Simeon D . Fess . Retirement , death and burial . From 1941 until his death in Akron on March 13 , 1945 , Dick was the oldest living former US Senator . He was buried in Akron ' s Glendale Cemetery . Legacy . Since 1988 the National Guard Association of the United States presents the annual Charles Dick Medal of Merit to recognize support for the National Guard by state and federal legislators .