Horace B. Strait

Horace B. Strait

Horace Burton Strait (born January 26, 1835 in Potter County , Pennsylvania , †  February 25, 1894 in Juarez , Mexico ) was an American politician . Between 1873 and 1883 he represented the state of Minnesota in the US House of Representatives twice .

Career

Horace Strait attended public schools in his home country. In 1846 he moved to Indiana with his parents . Nine years later, in 1855, Strait settled near Jordan , Minnesota, where he worked in agriculture. In 1860 he moved to Shakopee and ran a shop there. During the Civil War , Strait rose to major in the Union Army . At times he was Inspector General on the staff of an army high command. After the war, Strait became the curator of the Minnesota Mental Hospital. Politically, he was a member of the Republican Party . From 1870 to 1872 he was Mayor of Shakopee. At that time he was also active in trade, craft and banking.

In 1872 Strait was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the second constituency of Minnesota , where he succeeded John T. Averill on March 4, 1873 . After two re-elections, he was able to complete three legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1879 . During this time, the end of Reconstruction in the former Confederation states . In the elections of 1878 Strait was defeated by the Democrat Henry Poehler . Two years later, however, he managed to beat Poehler in the elections and win back his old seat. He was able to move into Congress again on March 4, 1881. In the years 1882 and 1884 he was elected in the third district to succeed William D. Washburn . Until March 3, 1887 he could remain in Congress. Between 1881 and 1883 he was chairman of the militia committee.

After his tenure in the US House of Representatives, Horace Strait resumed his previous activities in Shakopee. He died on February 25, 1894 in Juarez, Mexico, while on a train traveling home. Strait was buried in his home town of Shakopee.

Web links

• Horace B. Strait in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Horace B. Strait in the database of Find a Grave (English)