US Con Washburne, Elijah Benjamin Sr. - U.S. Congressman, IL

Elihu Benjamin Washburne Sr.
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Born: September 23, 1816

Birthplace: Livermore, Massachusetts (Maine)

Father: Israel Washburn 1784 – 1876
(Buried: Waters Hill Cemetery, Livermore, Maine)​

Mother: Martha "Patty" Benjamin 1792 – 1861
(Buried: Waters Hill Cemetery, Livermore, Maine)​

Brother: Governor Israel Washburn V 1813 – 1883
(Buried: Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Maine)​

Brother: Major General Cadwallader C. Washburn 1818 – 1882
(Buried: Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse, Wisconsin)​

Brother: U.S. Senator William Drew Washburn 1831 – 1912
(Buried: Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota)​

Wife: Adele Marie Antionette Gratiot 1826 – 1887
(Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois)​

Children:

Gratiot Washburne 1849 – 1886​
(Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois)​
Chicago Mayor Hempstead Washburne 1851 – 1918​
(Buried: Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois)​
William Pitt Washburne 1854 – 1898​
(Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois)​
Susan Adele Washburne Bishop 1859 – 1923​
(Buried: Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport, Connecticut)​
Marie Washburne Fowler 1863 – 1935​
(Buried: Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport, Connecticut)​
Elihu Benjamin Washburne Jr. 1868 – 1908​
(Buried: Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport, Connecticut)​

Political Party: Whig Party and Republican Party

Education:


Apprenticed as a Printer​
1839: Attended Harvard Law School
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Occupation before War:

Assistant Editor of Kennebec Journal Newspaper​
1840 – 1853: Attorney in Galena, Illinois​
1844: Illinois Delegate to Whig Party National Convention​
1848: Unsuccessful Candidate for United States Congress​
1852: Illinois Delegate to Whig Party National Convention​
1853 – 1869: United States Congressman from Illinois​
1853 – 1855: Member of House War Department Expenditures Committee​
1853 – 1855: Member of House Manufactures Committee​
1854: Supporter of Abraham Lincoln's attempt for U.S. Senate​
1855 – 1857: Chairman of House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee​
1856: Supporter of John C. Fremont's Presidential Campaign​
1857 – 1859: Member of House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee​
1859 – 1863: Chairman of House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee​

Civil War Career:
1861 – 1867: Member of House Rules Committee​
1861 – 1865: Advisor to his friend President Abraham Lincoln​
1861: Helped Ulysses S. Grant receive the rank of Colonel​
1861: Sponsor of Ulysses S. Grant's promotion to Brigadier General​
1863 – 1865: Member of House Library Committee​
1863 – 1869: Dean of United States House of Representatives​
Helped Brig. General Ulysses S. Grant get promoted to Major General​
Advocate for Grant's promotion to Lt. General of United States Army​
1865: Voted in support of the 13th​ Amendment to U.S. Constitution​

Occupation after War:
1868 – 1869: Chairman of House Appropriations Committee​
One of the leaders of the Radical Republicans in Congress.​
Advocate that large plantations be divided and given to former slaves.​
1868: Campaigner for General Grant's Presidential Campaign​
1869: United States Secretary of State​
1869 – 1877: United States Minister to France​
1880: Supporter of Ulysses S. Grant's attempt for a third term​
1880: Received 40 votes for Republican Party Nomination​
Author of biography of former Illinois Governor Edward Coles​
1884 – 1887: President of Chicago Illinois Historical Society​
Author of a memoir of his time as a diplomat in France​

Died: October 22, 1887

Place of Death: Chicago, Illinois

Age at time of Death: 71 years old

Burial Place: Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois
 
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