Earl D. Eisenhower

Earl Dewey Eisenhower was born on February 1, 1898, in Abilene, Kansas. He was the younger brother of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became the President of the United States. His family included other notable members such as attorney Edgar N. Eisenhower and university president Milton Eisenhower.

Earl Eisenhower relocated to the state of Washington during his early life. There, he resided with his brother Edgar, who assisted with his college expenses. He attended the University of Washington, where he graduated in 1923 with a degree in electrical engineering. Following his graduation, he gained work experience on a passenger ship. He subsequently worked in Pennsylvania with the West Penn Power Company and in Illinois with Suburban Life Newspapers.

In 1960, the Illinois General Assembly experienced a partisan deadlock during the reapportionment process, which resulted in the Illinois Supreme Court ordering at-large elections for the 1964 Illinois House of Representatives. These elections featured notably long ballots, allowing voters to select up to 177 candidates. Earl Eisenhower, a resident of La Grange Park, was chosen by the Republican Party to lead their ticket of 118 candidates. Despite the Democratic Party's significant victory overall, Eisenhower was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.

During his tenure, he served on several committees, including those on Agriculture; Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation; and Public Utilities, Railroads and Aviation. He was also a member of the American Heritage Commission.

In 1965, following a Supreme Court order that resolved the redistricting dispute, Eisenhower's residence at 404 Homestead Road was incorporated into the 7th district. That same year, frustrated with being in the minority party and intending to retire, Eisenhower announced he would not seek re-election to the Illinois House of Representatives. Subsequently, he pursued other political roles, indicating interest in the positions of Cook County Treasurer or Cook County Clerk, and requested the Cook County Republican Party to slate him for one of these positions.

Earl Eisenhower ran for the office of Cook County Clerk in the 1966 election but was not elected. The election for the 7th district resulted in the election of Republican candidates Joseph G. Sevcik of Berwyn and Henry Klosak of Cicero, alongside Democratic candidate Gerald W. Shea of Riverside.

Earl Dewey Eisenhower died on December 18, 1968, in Scottsdale, Arizona. His papers are archived at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library.