Hiram Price
Encyclopedia
Hiram Price was a nineteenth-century banker, merchant
, bookkeeper, bank president, railroad president, and five-term Republican
congressman from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
.
Born in Washington County, Pennsylvania
, Price attended common schools as a child and engaged in agricultural
pursuits on his father’s farm for several years. He worked as a bookkeeper for a large commission house near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and equipped himself for mercantile
life. He moved to Davenport, Iowa
in 1844 where he engaged in the mercantile business, served as collector, treasurer and recorder of Scott County, Iowa
and was president of the State Bank of Iowa from 1859 to 1866.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
, Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood
appointed Price paymaster general
of Iowa
troops to whom he advanced large sums of money.
In 1862, he was elected as a Republican
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
. He served three consecutive terms, from 1863 to 1869. During that period, he served as chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims from 1863 to 1865 and of the Committee on Pacific Railroads from 1865 to 1869.
After Price declined renomination in 1868, returned to Iowa, where he served as president of the First National Bank
of Davenport in 1873 and president of the Davenport and St. Paul Railroad.
In 1876, voters in the Second District returned Price to the House of Representatives, where he served two additional terms (from 1877 to 1881). He declined renomination in 1880. He was appointed chief clerk of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
in 1881 and later the same year was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs by President
James A. Garfield
, serving from 1881 to 1885.
Price lived in Washington, D.C.
until his death there on May 30, 1901. He was interred in Oakdale Cemetery
in Davenport.
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, bookkeeper, bank president, railroad president, and five-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
congressman from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that generally covers most of the southeastern part of the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.The district is currently represented by Democrat Dave Loebsack....
.
Born in Washington County, Pennsylvania
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
, Price attended common schools as a child and engaged in agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
pursuits on his father’s farm for several years. He worked as a bookkeeper for a large commission house near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and equipped himself for mercantile
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
life. He moved to Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
in 1844 where he engaged in the mercantile business, served as collector, treasurer and recorder of Scott County, Iowa
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and was president of the State Bank of Iowa from 1859 to 1866.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel Jordan Kirkwood , was an American politician best known as Iowa's American Civil War Governor. He also served in the U.S. Senate and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior.-Early life and career:...
appointed Price paymaster general
Paymaster
A paymaster often is, but is not required to be, a lawyer . When dealing with commission payments on contracts dealing with large amounts of money , most banks in the United States are very wary of handling such large amounts of money...
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
troops to whom he advanced large sums of money.
In 1862, he was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. He served three consecutive terms, from 1863 to 1869. During that period, he served as chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims from 1863 to 1865 and of the Committee on Pacific Railroads from 1865 to 1869.
After Price declined renomination in 1868, returned to Iowa, where he served as president of the First National Bank
First National Bank Building (Davenport, Iowa)
The First National Bank Building is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now known as US Bank, the building’s main tenant.-History:...
of Davenport in 1873 and president of the Davenport and St. Paul Railroad.
In 1876, voters in the Second District returned Price to the House of Representatives, where he served two additional terms (from 1877 to 1881). He declined renomination in 1880. He was appointed chief clerk of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
in 1881 and later the same year was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James A. Garfield
James Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
, serving from 1881 to 1885.
Price lived in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
until his death there on May 30, 1901. He was interred in Oakdale Cemetery
Oakdale Memorial Gardens
Oakdale Memorial Gardens, formerly Oakdale Cemetery, is located in east-central Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was established in 1856 and designed by Captain George F. de la Roche, who had finished the design of Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C. five years earlier. It is considered a...
in Davenport.
External links
- Hiram Price 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:...