Levi Ankeny
Encyclopedia
Levi Ankeny was a Republican
United States Senator from the state of Washington.
He was born in Buchanan County, Missouri
near St. Joseph, but crossed the plains to Oregon
in 1850 with his parents and settled in Portland
. He attended the rural schools and later Kingsley Academy in Portland.
He worked in business in Lewiston, Idaho
; Orofino, Idaho
; and Florence, Idaho
. He also became the mayor of Lewiston. He moved to Walla Walla, Washington
and engaged in banking. He was appointed a member of the Pan-American Exposition
Commission and became its chairman.
In 1902 he was elected as a Republican
to the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1903 to March 4, 1909. He failed to be renominated in 1908. He was chairman of the Committee on Coast and Insular Survey (Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses).
In 1867 he married Pauline Nesmith, daughter of Oregon Senator James W. Nesmith
: they had five children.
He worked in banking in Walla Walla until his death on March 29, 1921 and was interred at the Masonic Cemetery.
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...
United States Senator from the state of Washington.
He was born in Buchanan County, Missouri
Buchanan County, Missouri
Buchanan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 89,201. Its county seat is Saint Joseph. When originally formed in 1838, the county was named Roberts County, after settler Hiram Roberts; it was renamed in 1839 for James Buchanan, then a U.S....
near St. Joseph, but crossed the plains to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in 1850 with his parents and settled in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He attended the rural schools and later Kingsley Academy in Portland.
He worked in business in Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
; Orofino, Idaho
Orofino, Idaho
Orofino is a city in Clearwater County, Idaho, along Orofino Creek and the north bank of the Clearwater River. The population was 3,247 at the 2000 census, and the city is the county seat of Clearwater County...
; and Florence, Idaho
Florence, Idaho
Florence is a ghost town in Idaho County, Idaho, United States. The town was originally settled as a mining camp in the winter of 1861, Several hundred miners who had come for the Clearwater Gold Rush of 1861, heard of a huge bonanza there on the Salmon River. Many of the miners walked from...
. He also became the mayor of Lewiston. He moved to Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
and engaged in banking. He was appointed a member of the Pan-American Exposition
Pan-American Exposition
The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is present day Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Ave. to Elmwood Ave and northward to Great Arrow...
Commission and became its chairman.
In 1902 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 the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1903 to March 4, 1909. He failed to be renominated in 1908. He was chairman of the Committee on Coast and Insular Survey (Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses).
In 1867 he married Pauline Nesmith, daughter of Oregon Senator James W. Nesmith
James W. Nesmith
James Willis Nesmith was an American politician and lawyer from Oregon. Born in Canada to American parents, he grew up in New Hampshire and Maine...
: they had five children.
He worked in banking in Walla Walla until his death on March 29, 1921 and was interred at the Masonic Cemetery.