Albert Cummins was born in Greene County on 15th February, 1850. After graduating from Waynesburg College in 1869 and went to work as a carpenter in Iowa.

Cummins moved to Allen County, Indiana in 1871 where he became deputy county surveyor. After studying law in Chicago he was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1875. Three years later he became a lawyer in Des Moines, Iowa.

A member of the Republican Party, Cummins was elected to the Senate in 1894. He resigned from Congress in order to serve as Governor of Iowa (1902-1908). Cummins returned to the Senate in November 1908.

Cummins served on the Committee on Civil Service, Committee on Interstate Commerce and the Committee on Judiciary. Albert Cummins died in Des Moines on 30th July, 1926.