US Senator, Washington Territorial Governor. Born in Cape Vincent, Jefferson County, New York, he began his early career as a principal of the Moravia Institute following graduation from Wesleyan University in 1859. In 1861 he volunteered for military service as a member of Company F, New York 19th volunteer infantry, where he rose to the rank of first lieutenant. He participated in several skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces during the year before being mustered out of the army in 1861. The following year he continued his educational pursuits, graduating from Cleveland Law School in 1862, where he subsequently established a private legal practice in Cleveland, Ohio, after successfully passing the state's bar exam. Shortly thereafter he rejoined the Union Army as captain of the 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters where he served until 1865. During the Civil War he participated in the battles of Nashville, Chickamauga, Resaca and Missionary Ridge, and also served as part of General William T. Sherman's historic destruction of Atlanta and march to the sea campaign. Following the war he joined the famed Remington and Sons arms manufacturers, known worldwide for developing the breech loading repeating rifle. In 1876 he married Ida Remington, the daughter of company president Philo Remington. Acquiring undeveloped properties from his father-in-law in the Pacific Northwest, he moved to Seattle, Washington in 1879 to work on their development. In 1884 he was appointed as governor of the Washington Territory by President Chester A. Arthur, where he served until 1887. During his tenure as territorial governor he was forced to declare martial law when anti-Chinese riots broke out in Seattle and Tacoma, resulting in two weeks of violence and civil unrest before law and order could be reinstated. In 1889 he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican, following Washington's admittance to the Union on November 11, 1889. Following his defeat for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 1897, he returned to Seattle, where he served as president of both the Union Trust Company and the Squire Investment Company. He died in Seattle at the age of 88, with a personal fortune believed to be in excess of one million dollars.
US Senator, Washington Territorial Governor. Born in Cape Vincent, Jefferson County, New York, he began his early career as a principal of the Moravia Institute following graduation from Wesleyan University in 1859. In 1861 he volunteered for military service as a member of Company F, New York 19th volunteer infantry, where he rose to the rank of first lieutenant. He participated in several skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces during the year before being mustered out of the army in 1861. The following year he continued his educational pursuits, graduating from Cleveland Law School in 1862, where he subsequently established a private legal practice in Cleveland, Ohio, after successfully passing the state's bar exam. Shortly thereafter he rejoined the Union Army as captain of the 7th Independent Company of Ohio Sharpshooters where he served until 1865. During the Civil War he participated in the battles of Nashville, Chickamauga, Resaca and Missionary Ridge, and also served as part of General William T. Sherman's historic destruction of Atlanta and march to the sea campaign. Following the war he joined the famed Remington and Sons arms manufacturers, known worldwide for developing the breech loading repeating rifle. In 1876 he married Ida Remington, the daughter of company president Philo Remington. Acquiring undeveloped properties from his father-in-law in the Pacific Northwest, he moved to Seattle, Washington in 1879 to work on their development. In 1884 he was appointed as governor of the Washington Territory by President Chester A. Arthur, where he served until 1887. During his tenure as territorial governor he was forced to declare martial law when anti-Chinese riots broke out in Seattle and Tacoma, resulting in two weeks of violence and civil unrest before law and order could be reinstated. In 1889 he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican, following Washington's admittance to the Union on November 11, 1889. Following his defeat for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 1897, he returned to Seattle, where he served as president of both the Union Trust Company and the Squire Investment Company. He died in Seattle at the age of 88, with a personal fortune believed to be in excess of one million dollars.
Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.
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