Edward R. Cassatt
Edward Roberts Cassatt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Wabash County, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | June 26, 1907 (aged 68) Albert Lea, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, businessman, lawyer |
| Years active | 1868–1895 |
| Known for | Iowa Senate member (1884–1892), co-founder of First National Bank of Pella and Marion County National Bank |
Edward Roberts Cassatt (April 14, 1839 – June 26, 1907) was a prominent figure in American politics and business.
Originally from Wabash County, Indiana, Cassatt relocated to Iowa in 1857 and pursued higher education at Central University in Pella. He apprenticed in law under Judge John W. Petit and gained admission to the bar in Knoxville, Iowa, in 1868. Early in his career, Cassatt partnered with Jairus Edward Neal in legal practice and married Neal's daughter, Emily, in 1860. Health complications prompted him to leave the legal profession, after which he engaged in milling and became a co-founder of both the First National Bank of Pella and the Marion County National Bank located in Knoxville. Between 1884 and 1892, he represented District 15 as a Democratic member of the Iowa Senate.
Following his legislative service, Cassatt encountered addiction challenges and experienced substantial financial setbacks—losing nearly $250,000 due to wheat trading on the Chicago Board of Trade. His involvement also caused financial harm to the First National Bank of Pella. In 1895, amid embezzlement allegations, he attempted suicide but survived the attempt. Subsequently, he was found guilty of breaching banking regulations and received a nine-year prison sentence from Judge John Simson Woolson, serving part of his incarceration at Anamosa, Iowa. In 1900, President William McKinley granted him a pardon. Cassatt later moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota, where he passed away from a stomach disease in 1907 and was interred at Oak Wood Cemetery in Pella.