Henry S. Geyer
Encyclopedia
Henry Sheffie Geyer was a politician, lawyer, and soldier from Missouri
. Born in Frederick, Maryland
, he was instructed privately, studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1811 and practiced law in Frederick. During the War of 1812
he served as a first lieutenant in the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Maryland Infantry from 1813 to 1815; in the latter year he settled in St. Louis, Missouri
and resumed the practice of law. He was a member of the Territorial assembly in 1818 and a delegate to the constitutional convention
in 1820. From 1820 to 1824 he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives
and again in 1834-1835, serving as speaker on two occasions. He authored the Geyer Act
of 1839 establishing public education in Missouri as well as the University of Missouri
.
Geyer was elected as a Whig
to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1851, to March 4, 1857; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law in St. Louis. He was attorney for the defendant slave-owner in the Dred Scott
case.
Geyer died in St. Louis in 1859; interment was in Bellefontaine Cemetery. Geyer Road in St. Louis is named in his honor.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Born in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, he was instructed privately, studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1811 and practiced law in Frederick. During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
he served as a first lieutenant in the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Maryland Infantry from 1813 to 1815; in the latter year he settled in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and resumed the practice of law. He was a member of the Territorial assembly in 1818 and a delegate to the constitutional convention
Missouri Constitution
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution. The fourth and current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945...
in 1820. From 1820 to 1824 he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives
Missouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
and again in 1834-1835, serving as speaker on two occasions. He authored the Geyer Act
Geyer Act
The Geyer Act of 1839 was an act of the Missouri State Legislature which established the public school system of Missouri as well as the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. The act was introduced by congressman James S. Rollins from Boone County and named after its author, Henry Geyer...
of 1839 establishing public education in Missouri as well as the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
Geyer was elected as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
to the U.S. Senate and served from March 4, 1851, to March 4, 1857; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law in St. Louis. He was attorney for the defendant slave-owner in the Dred Scott
Dred Scott
Dred Scott , was an African-American slave in the United States who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom and that of his wife and their two daughters in the Dred Scott v...
case.
Geyer died in St. Louis in 1859; interment was in Bellefontaine Cemetery. Geyer Road in St. Louis is named in his honor.
External links
- Henry S. Geyer at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...