Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

traced back to England, France and Hol-
land, the American branch of the familyhaving
settled in the State of New York.
Mr. and Mrs. Cummings were the parents
of one son : Homer Stille Cummings, the
subject of this sketch. They were resi-
dents of Stamford, "Ruthven," their
country home, being situated near Akron,
New York. On November 10, 1910, Mr.
Cummings passed away, leaving the
memory of a man who cherished the
highest standards of personal honor and
integrity. His widow still resides in
Stamford.
Homer Stille Cummings, son of Uriah
and Audie Schuyler (Stille) Cummings,
was born April 30, 1870, at their home on
Michigan avenue, in Chicago, Illinois, and
received his preparatory education at the
Heathcote School, Buffalo, New York,
afterward entering Yale University, and
graduating from the Sheffield Scientific
School in 1891, with the degree of Bach-
elor of Philosophy. He was fitted for
his profession in the Yale Law School,
receiving, in 1893, the degree of Bachelor,
of Laws.
The same year he was admitted to the
Connecticut bar, and in August, 1893, en-
tered upon the active practice of his pro-
fession at. Stamford, and in that city he
has ever since maintained his principal
office. On January 1, 1895, he became
a member of the law firm of Fessenden,
Carter & Cummings, the association remaining
unbroken until 1900, when he
began practice alone and for the succeed-
ing nine years was without a partner.
On September 1, 1909, he organized the
firm of Cummings & Lockwood, his as-
sociate being Charles D. Lockwood, at
that time Judge of Probate for the Dis-
trict of Stamford. During the years
which have since elapsed, the practice of
the firm has grown to large proportions,
embracing widely differing lines of im-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
portant litigation. Mr. Cummings is also
a member of the New York bar, having
an office in the metropolis, and he is en-
rolled in the American Bar Association.
Mr. Cummings became an adherent of
the Democratic party in 1896 and has
ever since remained firm in his allegiance
to its principles. He was elected mayor
of Stamford for three terms— 1900 to
1901, 1901 to 1902, and 1904 to 1906, and
during 1902 and 1903 served as president
of the Mayors' Association of Connecti-
cut. In 1908 he was chosen Corporation
Counsel of Stamford, retaining that office
for four years.
In 1896 Mr. Cummings was the Demo-
cratic candidate for Secretary of State of
Connecticut, and in 1902 was nominated
for Congressman-at-large, receiving, in
each of these elections, the highest vote
on the party ticket. In 1910 he was the
unanimous choice of the Democratic
members of the General Assembly of
Connecticut for United States Senator,
and in 1916 was again a candidate, failing
of election by a comparatively narrow
margin, but again receiving the highest
vote on his party ticket. He was dele-
gate-at-large to the Democratic National
conventions of 1900 and 1904, and alter-
nate-at-large to the Democratic National
Convention of 1920. Since 1900 he has
been, by successive unanimous appointments,
a member of the Democratic Na-
tional Committee. His last re-appointment
was in 1920, for the period of service
ending in 1924. In 1913 he was unanimously
elected vice-chairman of the
Democratic National Committee, and on
February 26, 1919, became its chairman,
retaining that office until July 20, 1920.
He was temporary chairman of the Democratic
National Convention held at San
Francisco, June 28, 1920, and delivered the
"keynote" address, which attracted national
attention and, because of the man-