USA > Connecticut > Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen, Volume III > Part 24
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Origen S. Seymour, a Union Democrat, strenuously opposed to the Kansas and Nebraska bills, was chosen to represent the fourth district. Mr. Seymour was born in Litchfield, Feb. 9, 1804; was bred a lawyer; had been Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives; was subsequently for eight years judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut. He died at Litchfield, Aug. 12, 1881.
Daniel T. Jones, native of Connecticut, but a resident of Baldwinsville, New York, was a member of Congress from that State 1851-55.
Ebenezer Newton, a law partner of Elisha Whittlesey, born in Goshen, Oct. 16, 1795, represented a district in Ohio in the Thirty-second Congress.
Galusha A. Grow was born in Ashford (now Eastford), Aug. 31, 1823; on account of the death of his father in 1834, his mother removed to Susquehanna County, Penn- sylvania. Grow was educated at Amherst College, adopted the practice of law as a profession, was admitted to the bar in 1847, and soon afterwards became a partner of David Wilmot. He was elected as a Free Soil Democrat from Pennsylvania to the Thirty-second Congress; his maiden speech was on "Man's Right to the Soil." He was Represen- tative in Congress from 1851-63; elected three times on a Free Soil Democratic ticket, and the same number of times on the Republican ticket, having affiliated with the latter
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party after the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. In 1851, when he took his first seat in Congress, he was the youngest member of that body; at each session he intro- duced a Free Homestead Bill; as Speaker of the Thirty- seventh Congress he signed the Homestead Bill. Mr. Grow declined the appointment of minister to the Russian Court, tendered him by President Hayes. To fill a vacancy of Congressman at Large, Mr. Grow was elected to the Fifty- third Congress, and subsequently re-elected to the Fifty- fourth, Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, and Fifty-seventh, declining any further renominations.
Two new Democratic members were elected to the Thirty- third Congress as Representatives from Connecticut. The first district sent James T. Pratt, a farmer born at Middle- town in 1805; he was a delegate to the Peace Congress of 1861. From the third district came Nathan Belcher, born in Griswold, June 23, 1813, admitted to practice as lawyer; he removed in 1841 to New London where he engaged in manufacturing. He died in that city June 31, 1891.
John Wheeler, a New York member of Congress from 1853 to 1857, was a native of Derby.
William D. Lindsley, born in Connecticut, represented in the Thirty-third Congress the district in which Sandusky, Ohio, is located.
The Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to the Thirty- third Congress was strengthened by the election of Asa Packer. He was born at Groton, Dec. 29, 1806; in 1821 his parents removed to Pennsylvania, where Asa learned to be a tanner. He became interested in coal and iron indus- tries, and removed in 1832 to Mauch Chunk. Mr. Packer in 1866 founded the Lehigh University, which he liberally endowed. At the National Democratic Convention held in
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1868, he received the votes of the Pennsylvania delegates for President. He died Oct. 13, 1887.
The triumph of the Republican party in Connecticut in the presidential election of 1856, caused a complete change in her Congressional delegation, members of this party and the American were elected to fill the seats occupied for the two previous Congresses by Democrats.
Ezra Clark, Jr., Representative elect from the first district, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Sept. 12, 1813. His par- ents when he was six years old, removed to Hartford, where he became interested in local and public enterprises. Mr. Clark was re-elected to the Thirty-fifth Congress.
The second district sent John Woodruff, born in Hartford, Feb. 12, 1826; he was defeated for the Thirty-fifth, but re-elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress. He died at New Haven, May 20, 1868.
The member from the third district was Sidney Dean, born in Glastonbury, Nov. 16, 1818; he began life as a manufacturer but afterwards became a clergyman. Mr. Dean was re-elected and served as Chairman of the Commit- tee on Public Expenditures, also on other important com- mittees. After his retirement from Congress he became pas- tor of a church in Rhode Island, and was editor of the Providence Press. He died at Warren, Rhode Island, Oct. 29, 1901.
The fourth district elected William W. Welch, born in Norfolk, Dec. 10, 1818, a practicing physician; he had been a member of both branches of the State Legislature.
In the New York delegation were: Francis S. Edwards, born in Norwich, a lawyer of Fredonia. William A. Gilbert, a native of this State, who resided in Rochester. Abraham Wakeman, born in Fairfield, May 31, 1824. At the age of
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sixteen removed to New Rochelle; subsequently became a school-teacher, book canvasser, and manager of a sawmill. In 1844 he began the study of law in Herkimer County, and was admitted to the bar in New York city. At the outbreak of the Civil War he helped raise the 8 Ist Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, was elected its colonel, but resigned and became postmaster of New York city. He died June 29, 1889. From Central New York came Amos P. Granger, born in Suf- field, June 3, 1789. He emigrated in 1811 to Manlius, New York; was a captain in the army during the war of 1812, afterwards removed to Syracuse, where he became a merchant. He was also a member of the Thirty-fifth Con- gress. Mr. Granger was a liberal donor to the Episcopal Church, and much of the prosperity of that denomination in Central New York is due to his liberality. He died at Syra- cuse, Aug. 20, 1866.
The delegate from the Territory of Nebraska to the Thir- ty-fourth Congress, Bird B. Chapman, was a native of Con- necticut. To the same Congress came Lucien Barbour, born in Canton, March 4, 1811, a practicing attorney of Indianap- olis. Also came Philemon Bliss, born in Canton, July 28, 1814; removed to Ohio, where he took a prominent part in the anti-slavery movement. He was re-elected to the Thirty- fifth Congress, and was appointed by President Lincoln United States judge for Dakota Territory. Judge Bliss afterwards removed to Columbus, Missouri, where he became judge of the Supreme Court of that State, also Dean of the State University. He died at St. Paul, Minnesota, Aug. 25, 1889.
Two Connecticut Democrats succeeded the two members of the American party, in the Thirty-fifth Congress. Samuel Arnold represented the New Haven district. He was born
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in Haddam, June 1, 1806; he was engaged in farming, bank- ing, and various interests pertaining to commerce. The fourth district sent William D. Bishop, born in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He studied law, but engaged in railroad enter- prises.
A native of Southbury, Horace F. Clark, a lawyer prom- inent in financial, political, and railroad circles, was Repre- sentative from New York from 1857-61. Samuel G. An- drews, born in Derby, Oct. 16, 1799, removed with his father to Rochester, New York, where he became mayor and postmaster, was also a member of the Thirty-fifth Con- gress.
The Troy district in the Empire State was represented in the Thirty-fifth Congress by Erastus Corning, born in Nor- wich, Dec. 14, 1794; in his youth he came to Troy, where he became identified with the hardware trade of that city and the neighboring city of Albany. He was an iron manu- facturer and banker, and largely interested in the develop- ment of the railroad system of the State of New York. He was the master-spirit in the consolidation of the railroads that formed the New York Central, of which company he was president. A Democrat in politics, he was defeated for the Thirty-sixth and re-elected to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses, but resigned from the latter on account of failing health. He died at Albany, April 9, 1872.
The Connecticut Republicans elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress were: John Woodruff, a former member of the House. O. S. Ferry, who afterwards became United States Senator. Dwight Loomis, born in Columbia, July 27, 1821. He was a farmer boy, studied law, and was admitted to practice at New Haven. Settling at Rockville, he was a member of both Houses of the Connecticut Legislature. He
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was re-elected, and after his retirement from Congress was a member of the Supreme Bench of Connecticut. Alfred A. Burnham was the fourth member, born in Windham, March 8, 1819; the lack of funds obliged him to relinquish his col- legiate course of studies. He became a lawyer; was Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, also Lieuten- ant Governor. Mr. Burnham was re-elected to the Thirty- seventh Congress.
Among the New York Representatives were Alfred Ely, born in Lyme, Feb. 18, 1815; removed to Rochester, where he was admitted to the bar. He was member of Congress 1859-63. Mr. Ely while a civilian spectator at the Battle of Bull Run, was captured by the enemy and confined for six months in Libby Prison, he was then exchanged.
James Humphrey born in Fairfield, Oct. 9, 1811, gradu- ated from Amherst College, of which institution his father, Rev. Heman Humphrey, was for many years president. Mr. Humphrey studied law, and settled in Louisville, Ken- tucky, to practice; but finally removed to New York City, where he followed his profession. He was elected Repre- sentative to the Thirty-sixth Congress; was a member of the Select Committee of Thirty-three on the Rebellious States. He was again elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress, but died at Brooklyn, New York, June 16, 1866, before the expira- tion of his term.
John A. Gurley, a Representative from Ohio to the Thirty- sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses, was born at East Hart- ford, Dec. 9, 1813; he studied for the ministry, and was settled over a congregation at Methuen, Massachusetts, 1834-37. In the latter year he removed to Cincinnati, where for fifteen years he edited and published a newspaper called The Star of the West. His death occurred at Cincinnati,
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Aug. 19, 1863, while en route to fill the office of Governor of Arizona, to which he had been appointed by President Lincoln.
George W. Scranton was born in Madison, May 23, 1811; when a youth of eighteen he removed to Belvidere, New Jersey. He subsequently located at Scranton, Pennsylvania, that city being named in honor of his brother and himself. Here he became largely interested in iron and coal mines, also in railroads; was at one time president of the Delaware, Lackawana & Western Railroad Company. Mr. Scranton was elected Representative from Pennsylvania to the Thirty- sixth, and was re-elected to the Thirty-seventh Congress, but died at Scranton, March 24, 1861.
The new members of the Connecticut delegation to the Thirty-seventh Congress were, for the second district, James E. English, who afterwards became Senator, and from the fourth district George C. Woodruff. Mr. Woodruff was born in Litchfield, Dec. 1, 1805; graduated from Yale Col- lege in 1825; studied law at the Litchfield School, and was admitted to the bar in 1827. He was re-elected to the Thirty- eighth Congress.
Nehemiah Perry, born in Ridgefield, and a resident of Newark, New Jersey, was Congressman from that State from 1861-65.
Amasa Walker, a native of Woodstock, removed to North Brookfield, Massachusetts, was engaged in mercantile busi- ness at Boston fifteen years; he was elected to fill a vacancy in the Massachusetts representation in the Thirty-seventh Congress. One of Mr. Walker's colleagues was John D. Baldwin, born at North Stonington, Sept. 28, 1809; he was a member of Yale, class of 1833, studied law and after- wards theology, and became a licensed preacher. Mr. Bald-
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win engaged in journalistic pursuits, was editor of an anti- slavery paper at Hartford, edited The Commonwealth at Boston, and in 1859 purchased the Worcester Spy; he was an authority on archæology, and was author of several his- torical works. He was re-elected to the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses. He died at Worcester, July 8, 1883.
John Law, a descendant of one of Connecticut's early governors, was born in New London in 1796; he studied law, and in 1817 removed to the Territory of Indiana, locat- ing at Vincennes. Here he filled various positions, but finally removed to Evansville, and from that district was sent as a Representative to the Thirty-seventh Congress. His father had been a member of Congress, and his grandfather a mem- ber of the Continental Congress. Mr. Law was re-elected to the Thirty-eighth Congress.
The first district was represented in the Thirty-eighth Congress by Henry C. Deming, who was born in Middle Haddam in 1815; graduating from Yale College in 1836, he opened a law office in New York City, but in 1847 came to Hartford, where he devoted his time chiefly to literary work. Mr. Deming was colonel of the Twelfth Connecticut Vol- unteers, who were attached to Butler's expedition to New Orleans; on the occupation of that city by the Union Army, Colonel Deming was made acting mayor. Originally a Dem- ocrat, at the outbreak of the war he joined the Republican party; he was re-elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress, and during his term of office was a member of the Committee on Military Affairs, also Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures of the War Department. He died at Hart- ford, Oct. 9, 1872.
The third district elected Augustus Brandegee, a lawyer, born in New London, July 15, 1828; he had been Speaker
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of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and served on important committees in the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Congresses.
From the western district of the State came John H. Hub- bard, born in Salisbury in 1805 ; he was educated to the prac- tice of law at Litchfield. Mr. Hubbard during his two Con- gressional terms was an indefatigable worker, and faithful to his political duties.
One of the Michigan delegation to the Thirty-eighth, Thirty-ninth, and Fortieth Congresses was Charles Upson, born in Southington, March 19, 1821; he removed to Cold- water where he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Upson was from 1861-62 Attorney General of Michigan.
Asahel W. Hubbard represented an Iowa district for three terms; he was born in Haddam, Jan. 19, 1819, and removed to Indiana in 1838, where he taught school and studied law. In 1857 he migrated still further west to Iowa, where he was elected judge of a judicial district.
The only change in the Connecticut delegation in the Thirty-ninth Congress was the election of Samuel L. War- ner, a Republican, in the second district. Mr. Warner was born in Wethersfield in 1829, and settled at Middletown, where he was admitted to the bar.
To this same Congress Nelson Taylor and William E. Dodge were Representatives from New York. The former was born at South Norwalk, June 8, 1821 ; a lawyer by pro- fession, and a veteran of the Mexican War; at the close of hostilities he emigrated to California, where he held various political offices. Returning to New York City in 1860, he resumed the practice of law, but the following year was mustered into military service as colonel of the 72d Regi- ment of New York Volunteers. Colonel Taylor was pro-
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moted to the rank of brigadier-general. His colleague con- tested the election of his Democratic opponent, and was seated by the House of Representatives April 6, 1866. Mr. Dodge was born in Hartford, Sept. 4, 1805, and removed with his parents to New York City when thirteen years of age. On attaining his majority he engaged in mercantile business, and for forty years was at the head of one of the most extensive importing and manufacturing firms in the country. He died in New York City, Feb. 9, 1883.
Chester D. Hubbard was born in Hamden, Nov. 25, 1814; his parents removed in his childhood to Wheeling, Virginia; he served in the Virginia Legislature, and in the Senate of West Virginia upon the organization of that State. He was strongly opposed to secession; was interested in lumber, iron, and banking enterprises. He was re-elected to the Fortieth Congress. He died at Wheeling, Aug. 23, 1891.
From a district in Illinois, Abner C. Harding was elected to the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses. He was born at East Hampton, Feb. 10, 1807, receiving his education in Central New York, where he practiced law, and finally removed to Monmouth, Illinois. He was a member of the convention that framed the Constitution of Illinois, served in the Legislature, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits and railroad enterprises. He enlisted during the Civil War as a private, and for bravery displayed at Fort Donelson was made a brigadier-general. He died at Monmouth, July 19, 1874.
Charles C. Langdon, born at Southington, Aug. 5, 1805, removed to Perry County, Alabama, was editor of the Mo- bile Advertiser and mayor of that city; he claimed to be
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elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress, but was denied admis- sion.
There was a decided change in the political make up of Connecticut's delegation to the Fortieth Congress. The four Republican Representatives of the preceding Congress were succeeded by three Democrats and one Republican. The first district elected Richard D. Hubbard, born in Berlin, Sept. 7, 1818; a practicing attorney during the Civil War, and an earnest Unionist. He declined a re-nomination and was afterwards Governor of the State. He died at Hartford, Feb. 28, 1884. The Representative from the second district was Julius Hotchkiss, born in Waterbury, July 11, 1810. He was in his early life a commercial traveler,, and afterwards. engaged in manufacturing. Mr. Hotchkiss was Lieutenant- Governor. He died at Middletown, Dec. 23, 1878. The member from the third district, Henry H. Starkweather, was. born in Preston, April 29, 1826; he was admitted to the bar, and practiced in his native county. Mr. Starkweather was re-elected four times; he died before the expiration of his last term, at Washington, D. C., Jan. 28, 1876. The: other member of the delegation, William H. Barnum, served five terms in the House of Representatives, when he was; transferred to the Senate.
In the Forty-first Congress, Julius Strong, the Represen- tative elect from the first district, was born in Bolton, Nov. 8, 1828; he began the practice of law in Hartford, and upon his election to Congress, though hardly arrived at middle- age, had gained a prominent position at the bar. He was a great judge of human nature, and in his intercourse with his colleagues was hearty, frank, and generous. He was re-elected to the Forty-second Congress, but died at Hart- ford, Sept. 7, 1872, before the expiration of his term. The.
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second district, which was strongly Democratic, elected a Republican, Stephen W. Kellogg, who was twice re-elected. He was born in Shelburne, Massachusetts, April 5, 1822; a graduate of Yale College, he was admitted to the bar and finally settled at Waterbury. Mr. Kellogg was an important factor in the tariff legislation of 1870-72, and was also suc- cessful in obtaining the passage of bills for the improvement of the coast harbors of the State.
There were five new members, sons of Connecticut, elected from different States, to the Forty-first Congress. Charles Pomeroy, born in Meriden, Sept. 8, 1825, removed to Iowa; he was a lawyer and banker. Eramus D. Peck, a resident of Ohio since 1830, a practicing physician, was elected to fill a vacancy, and was re-elected. John B. Hawley was born in Fairfield County, Feb. 9, 1831 ; his parents emi- grated to Illinois when he was quite young. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and represented a district in his adopted State for three terms. Mr. Hawley was afterwards appointed Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. Darwin Phelps, a native of East Granby, on the death of his parents went to reside with his grandparents in Portage County, Ohio; he studied law with his kinsman Walter Forward, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and located at Kittanning in that State. William T. Clark, born in Norwich, June 29, 1834; studied law in New York City and began practice in Iowa. At the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in the Union army, and in 1866 was mustered out of the United States service in Texas, with the rank of major-general. General Clark then engaged in business at Galveston, and was elected to the Forty-first and Forty-second Congresses as a Republi- can, but his seat in the latter was successfully contested by his Democratic opponent.
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In the Forty-second Congress were William Williams and Elizur H. Prindle, Representatives from New York. The former was born in Bolton, Sept. 6, and located at Buffalo, where he became a railroad manager and president. His colleague was born in Newtown, May 6, 1829, and located at Norwich; he was a lawyer by profession.
Pennsylvania sent as one of her Representatives Henry Sherwood, born in Bridgeport, Oct. 9, 1817; he located as a lawyer at Wellsboro.
James M. Pendelton, born at North Stonington, Jan. 10, 1822, was for seven years in mercantile business at Westerly, Rhode Island, and afterwards became interested in banking, insurance, and manufacturing. He was elected as Represen- tative from Rhode Island to the Forty-second and Forty- third Congresses.
James Monroe, born in Plainfield, July 18, 1821, gradu- ated from Oberlin College, and for thirteen years filled a pro- fessorship in that college. Professor Monroe was twice Pres- ident of the Ohio Senate, and was elected Representative to Congress from that State, but declined a renomination.
The only change in the Connecticut delegation to the Forty-third Congress was the election of Joseph R. Hawley from the first district.
To this Congress, South Carolina sent as one of her Rep- resentatives Lewis Cass Carpenter born in Putnam, Feb. 20, 1836. He became a school-teacher in New Jersey, studied law, and was correspondent at Washington for several New York newspapers. In 1870 he established at Charleston the first Republican paper in South Carolina.
Richard C. Parsons, born in New London, Oct. 10, 1826; twenty years later removed to Ohio. He began the practice
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of law at Cleveland, and was elected as a Republican to the Forty-third Congress.
One of the New York Representatives was Samuel B. Chittenden, born in Guilford, March 29, 1814; he removed to New York City, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits, was also interested in banks and railroads. He was first elected to fill a vacancy, but was three times re-elected as an independent candidate. Mr. Chittenden was a large donor to Yale College, presenting that institution with $125,000 for a library building. He died at Brooklyn, New York, April 14, 1889.
The changes in the Connecticut delegation in the Forty- fourth Congress were the election in the first district of George M. Landers, a Democrat; and James Phelps, also a Democrat, in the second district. Mr. Landers was born in Lenox, Massachusetts, Feb. 22, 1813; removed to Hartford County in 1829, and was engaged in the manufacture of hardware at New Britain. Mr. Landers was a member of the Forty-fifth Congress. James Phelps was born in Cole- brook, Jan. 12, 1822; was a member of the legal fraternity, and resigned from the Connecticut Supreme Bench to accept the nomination for Congress. Judge Phelps was a member of the Committee of Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, and Pensions, also to investigate election frauds in Louisiana. He was Representative three terms; and died Jan. 15, 1900.
The transferring of William H. Barnum to the Senate caused a vacancy in the fourth district, which was filled by the election of Levi Warner; he was born in Wethersfield, Oct. 10, 1830, and obtained his education while working on a farm. Mr. Warner attended the law schools of Harvard and Yale Colleges, and began the practice of law at Fairfield. He was re-elected to the Forty-fifth Congress.
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Richard H. Whiting, born in West Hartford, June 17, 1826, a veteran of the Civil War, was elected Representative to the Forty-fourth Congress from Peoria, Illinois.
Julius H. Seelye born at Bethel, Sept. 14, 1824; a gradu- ate of Amherst College, studied theology, and was ordained in 1853 and settled over a church in Schenectady, New York. Five years later he accepted a professorship in Amherst Col- lege. He was elected Representative from Massachusetts to the Forty-fourth Congress, receiving the nomination inde- pendent of any political party. Before the expiration of his Congressional term he was chosen President of Amherst Col- lege, and therefore declined a renomination. He died at Amherst, May 2, 1895.
Stephen S. Fenn was born in Watertown, March 28, 1820; his parents during his childhood removed to Niagara County, New York. On arriving at his majority, he emigrated to Jackson County, Iowa, where he held several local offices. During the gold excitement he went to California, where he engaged in mining and ranching. In 1862 he removed to the part of Washington Territory that afterwards became Idaho; here he mined and practiced law. He was elected Congres- sional delegate to the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Con- gresses.
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