Dennis E. Alward

Dennis Eldred Alward (January 26, 1859 – May 22, 1930) was a United States Government official and newspaper publisher who served as the Reading Clerk of the United States House of Representatives for 16 years from 1987 to 1913. Prior to serving as the Reading Clerk, Alward served in numerous of other clerical offices and within the newspaper business.

Personal life Dennis Eldred Alward was born on January 26, 1859, to a well known local attorney, Cryus M. Alward in Niles, Michigan. He attended Niles High School and then entered the literary department at the University of Michigan,

Beginning in From 1893 to 1897, Alward served as the Secretary of the State Senate of Michigan. Following his departure as Reading Clerk of the House of Representatives, Alward then returned to his role as the Secretary of the state Senate.

Alward was appointed as the Secretary of the State Michigan Republican Party in 1896, where he held manage and lead campaigns of various Michigan Republicans. He resigned from this role in 1898, but once again was named Secretary in 1900. Past this point, various attempts for Alward to resign the role were rejected by the chair of the state party.

In the fifty-fourth Congress, Alward served as the Superintendent of the House document Room. Beginning from 1897 and ending in 1913, Alward was appointed as the Reading Clerk of the House of Representatives by a unanimous acclamation. During his service as House Reading Clerk, Alward was not once absent from a session of the House of Representatives.

Alward served as the Reading Clerk at the Republican National Conventions of 1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, and 1924. Infamously, the 1912 Republican National Convention resulted in the temporary fracture of the Republican Party, with Theodore Roosevelt splintering to form the Progressive Party following his failure to secure the nomination for the Republican Party.

Death Dennis Eldred Alward died on May 22, 1930, in the Henry Ford Hospital at 12:30 pm from a stroke of paralysis, aged 71.