Costigan, Edward Prentiss, 1874-1939

Edward Prentiss Costigan (1874-1939) was born in King William County, Virginia and moved with his family to Ouray, Colorado at the age of three. He studied law in Utah and was admitted to the bar in Salt Lake City in 1897. He graduated from Harvard in 1899 and opened a law office in Denver the following year. Costigan founded the Progressive Party in Colorado and was twice its unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1912 and 1914. During the latter campaign, he served as counsel for the United Mine Workers of America during the Colorado coal field strikes and won acquittals for the miners charged with murder committed during the strikes. In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson named Costigan to the U.S. Tariff Commission and sent him to Europe for tariff and trade discussions with the Allied powers (1917-1928). He returned to Denver in 1928 to pursue a legal and political career. In 1930, Costigan was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Democrat where he became interested in legislation for federal relief and public works programs. He became a leader in the Senate on behalf of New Deal programs and received recognition with the Jones-Costigan bill, designed to aid sugar beet growers. He was an ardent advocate of anti-lynch law legislation and a supporter of public projects such as Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam) and Muscle Shoals, which was later expanded into the Tennessee Valley Authority.

From the description of Edward P. Costigan papers, 1876-1951. (Denver Public Library). WorldCat record id: 71003925