Oscar Rathbun

Oscar Jenckes Rathbun (born March 12, 1832 in Woonsocket , Rhode Island , †  February 1, 1892 in Providence , Rhode Island) was an American politician . Between 1883 and 1885 he was lieutenant governor of the state of Rhode Island.

Career

Oscar Rathbun attended Worcester High School in Massachusetts and the Clinton Liberal Institute in New York State . He then worked in his father's goods store. After his death, he gave up this job and worked in the banking industry. He was a cashier at Woonsocket Falls National Bank and then Citizens' National Bank . Until 1860 he was also treasurer at Citizens' Savings Bank . However, he saw the banking industry only as a stepping stone to a career as an entrepreneur. From 1860 he worked in the clothing industry. He became president of the Harris Woolen Company and the Household Sewing Machine Company and the Woonsocket Tram Company . He also became head of the Citizens' National Bank and thus remained partially in the banking business. In the early 1870s, Rathbun was one of the leading industrialists in Woonsocket. In addition to the activities already mentioned, he sat on the board or was director of various other companies. These included insurance, railways, the Woonsocket Gas Company and many others.

Politically, Rathbun joined the Republican Party . Between 1880 and 1882 he was a member of the Rhode Island Senate . In 1882 he was elected lieutenant governor of Rhode Island alongside Augustus O. Bourn . He held this office between 1883 and 1885. He was Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Senate. After his time as Lieutenant Governor, he retired from politics in order to devote himself more to his business. However, he increasingly suffered from heart problems. In 1891 he therefore gave up the management of the Harris Woolen Company . He kept other positions. On February 1, 1892, he was in Providence to attend the annual meeting of the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company . On this occasion he was re-elected to their board. In the afternoon of the same day, he felt unwell and wanted to return to Woonsocket. But he only made it to the train station, where he suddenly died.

Web links

• Oscar Rathbun in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The Political Graveyard
• biography
• Oscar Rathbun on Rootsweb

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 269 ​​Prospect Street: The Thurber-Rathbun Mansion ( Memento of the original from June 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.