John A. Elston

John Arthur Elston (February 10, 1874 – December 15, 1921) was a U.S. Representative from California.[1]

John Arthur Elston
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 6th district
In office March 4, 1915 – December 15, 1921
Preceded by	Joseph R. Knowland
Succeeded by	James H. MacLafferty
Personal details
Born	(1874-02-10)February 10, 1874 Woodland, California, US
Died	December 15, 1921(1921-12-15) (aged 47) Washington, D.C., US
Cause of death	suicide by drowning
Resting place	Chapel of the Chimes (Oakland, California)
Political party	Progressive Party Republican Party
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley

Born in Woodland, California, Elston attended public schools. He graduated from Hesperian College, Woodland, 1892. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, California, 1897. He was a teacher. He was admitted to the California state bar, 1901, and was a lawyer in private practice. He served as executive secretary to the Governor of California (George C. Pardee) from 1903 to 1907. He served as member of the board of trustees of the State Institution for the Deaf and Blind from 1911 to 1914.[1]

Elston was elected as a Progressive to the Sixty-fourth Congress and reelected as a Republican to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1915 – December 15, 1921). He served as chairman of the Committee on Mileage (Sixty-sixth Congress).[1]

Elston committed suicide in Washington, D.C. on December 15, 1921, by drowning in the Potomac River.[2] He was cremated and the ashes placed in the California Crematorium,[1] now the Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, California.[3]