John J. Eagan

John Joseph Eagan (January 22, 1872 – June 13, 1956) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1913 to 1921.

Biography

He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey and was graduated from public, parochial, and private schools. In 1894, he founded and was president of the Eagan Schools of Business in Hoboken, Union Hill, and Hackensack, New Jersey and Brooklyn. He was the first vice president of the Merchants & Manufacturers’ Trust Co. and collector of taxes of Union Township, Union County, New Jersey 1896-1899.

Eagan was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1913-March 3, 1921). He was a delegate to the 1920 Democratic National Convention at San Francisco, California. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress. He was again elected to the Sixty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1923-March 3, 1925) but was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1924.

John J. Eagan (ACIPCO)

John Joseph Eagan (born April 22, 1870 in Griffin, Georgia; died March 30, 1924 in Asheville, North Carolina) was an American industrialist and co-founder of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO).

Eagan was the son and only child of John Joseph and Mary V. Russell Eagan of Georgia. His father died of tuberculosis on July 19, 1870. His uncle William Russell, who owned the W. A. Russell Tobacco Company in Atlanta, moved Mary and John to Atlanta. John was studious and excelled in school, studied the Bible and was active, along with his mother, in Christian ministry at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. The Eagans also lived for periods of time with Mary's sister in Cartersville and on the farm of a family friend.

At age 16, Eagan left school and returned to Atlanta. He worked at a grocery store briefly until starting work at his uncle's tobacco store. At age 21, John inherited $6,000 from his grandmother. He invested the money and by 1899 had a fortune of over $73,000. When Eagan was 29, he inherited a $750,000 bequest from his uncle Russell. Eagan continued investing in property, stocks and a few businesses. Humbled by his blessings, Eagan tithed to the church, supported numerous charities benefiting the poor, and used his business influence to improve conditions for workers. A May 13, 1900 entry in Eagan's diary included this prayer: "O Lord show me how to invest Thy wealth to promote Thy glory, so that I may bear much fruit."