Samuel Shellabarger (congressman)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Shellabarger was a U.S. Representative
from Ohio
.
Born near Enon, Ohio
, Shellabarger attended the county schools and was graduated from Miami University
, Oxford, Ohio
, in 1841.
He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar
and commenced practice in Springfield, Ohio
, in 1846.
He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1852 and 1853.
Shellabarger was elected as a Republican
to the Thirty-seventh
Congress (March 4, 1861–March 3, 1863). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth
Congress.
Shellabarger was elected to the Thirty-ninth
and Fortieth
Congresses (March 4, 1865–March 3, 1869). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1868. He served as U.S. Minister to Portugal
from April 21 to December 31, 1869.
Shellabarger was again elected to the Forty-second
Congress (March 4, 1871–March 3, 1873). During that term he served as chairman of the Committee on Commerce. Perhaps, the most historically memorable moment of his life came early in this term when he drafted an anti Ku Klux Klan bill -- sometimes referred to as the Civil Rights Act of 1871. After passage by both houses of Congress, the bill was signed into law by President Grant on April 20. This bill was very instrumental in giving Grant the tools he needed to demolish the first era KKK. Shellabarger's KKK bill was the second introduced in Congress that year; an earlier bill drafted by Benjamin Butler
had failed to garner sufficient votes for passage.
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1872.
He served as member of the United States Civil Service Commission in 1874 and 1875.
He continued the practice of law until his death in Washington, D.C.
, August 7, 1896.
He was interred in Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio
.
He is the grandfather of Samuel Shellabarger
(1888–1954), American educator and author.
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...
from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Born near Enon, Ohio
Enon, Ohio
Enon is a village in Clark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,638 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.Enon is the headquarters of the Speedway SuperAmerica gas station chain....
, Shellabarger attended the county schools and was graduated from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
, Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
, in 1841.
He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
and commenced practice in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, in 1846.
He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1852 and 1853.
Shellabarger 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 Thirty-seventh
37th United States Congress
The Thirty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1861 to March 4, 1863, during the first two...
Congress (March 4, 1861–March 3, 1863). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
Congress.
Shellabarger was elected to the Thirty-ninth
39th United States Congress
The Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of...
and Fortieth
40th United States Congress
The Fortieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1867 to March 4, 1869, during the third and fourth...
Congresses (March 4, 1865–March 3, 1869). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1868. He served as U.S. Minister to Portugal
United States Ambassador to Portugal
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal.Bilateral diplomatic relations between the United States and Portugal date from the earliest years of the United States. Following the Revolutionary War, Portugal was the first neutral country to recognize the United States. On February...
from April 21 to December 31, 1869.
Shellabarger was again elected to the Forty-second
42nd United States Congress
The Forty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873, during the third and fourth...
Congress (March 4, 1871–March 3, 1873). During that term he served as chairman of the Committee on Commerce. Perhaps, the most historically memorable moment of his life came early in this term when he drafted an anti Ku Klux Klan bill -- sometimes referred to as the Civil Rights Act of 1871. After passage by both houses of Congress, the bill was signed into law by President Grant on April 20. This bill was very instrumental in giving Grant the tools he needed to demolish the first era KKK. Shellabarger's KKK bill was the second introduced in Congress that year; an earlier bill drafted by Benjamin Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
had failed to garner sufficient votes for passage.
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1872.
He served as member of the United States Civil Service Commission in 1874 and 1875.
He continued the practice of law until his death 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....
, August 7, 1896.
He was interred in Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
.
He is the grandfather of Samuel Shellabarger
Samuel Shellabarger
Samuel Shellabarger was an American educator and author of both scholarly works and best-selling historical novels. He was born in Washington, D.C., on 18 May 1888, but his parents both died while he was a baby...
(1888–1954), American educator and author.