William Henry Barnum

William Henry Barnum

William Henry Barnum (* 17th September 1818 in Boston Corners, Mount Washington , Massachusetts , now part of Ancram , New York ; †  30th April 1889 at Lime Rock, Lakeville , Connecticut ) was an American politician of the Democratic Party . He represented the state of Connecticut in both houses of the US Congress .

politics

Born in Berkshire County , Massachusetts, Barnum later moved to Connecticut, where he also became politically active. From 1851 to 1852 he was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives ; In 1867 he moved into the US House of Representatives for the fourth electoral district of the state , where he prevailed against his cousin PT Barnum , who ran for Republicans . After the death of Senator Orris S. Ferry , William Barnum was elected his successor and moved to the Senate on May 18, 1876 within Congress . His term of office ended there on March 3, 1879.

Barnum was one of the leaders in his party. In 1877 he took over the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee , which he held until his death in 1889. No other Democratic chairman has had such a long tenure.

Working as an industrialist

William Barnum made a name for himself not only as a politician but also as an industrialist. The Barnum Richardson Company , which he directed , based in Lime Rock, was the leading company in the iron ore industry in the Salisbury area . The company owned or controlled the ore mines; the charcoal production , the limestone mining and railway transport were in their hands. Was also Barnum Richardson a leading company in the production of railway wheels.

In 1872 Barnum entered into a business partnership with Collis P. Huntington . Together they invested in a company that manufactures rail freight cars , the Ensign Manufacturing Company . Among other things, major orders for the Central Pacific Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad were carried out there.

Barnum was also known for his religious tolerance during this period. A member of the Episcopal Church himself, he did not participate in the discrimination against the Catholic population that was common in this area of New England at the time . Rather, he donated large sums of money to build two Catholic churches. When residents complained to him that the local Catholic priest had set up a crucifix and asked him to fire his Catholic workers, Barnum refused to do so.

Web links

• William Henry Barnum in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)