US Presidential Cabinet Secretary, US Senator. He served as the 15th United States Secretary of the Interior during the Administration of President Chester A. Arthur from 1882 to 1885. A member of the Republican Party and later the Silver Republican Party and Democratic Party, he served the State of Colorado in the United States Senate from 1876 until 1882 and from 1885 until 1909. Born into a large Methodist family, he was raised on his family’s New York farm. He studied at Rushford and Alfred Academies in New York and worked as a teacher, in order to fund his studies to attain his Law degree, of which he received in 1858. Teller would go on to make a name for himself in the West as he was a significant contributor to the expansion of silver mining and the establishment of railway lines in connection with mining locations. This led to his election from the State of Colorado to the United States Senate in 1876. Teller caught the attention of President Arthur who appointed him Secretary of the Interior and during his tenure, he defended the interest of western homesteaders against cattlemen, speculators and Indians. In addition, he was a proponent of vocational education for Indians and the establishment of the court of Indian offenses. He returned to the United States Senate in 1885 and resumed his focus on mining communities. He crossed the isle and became a Democrat in 1896, when the Republican Party chose to support the gold standard instead of the return to free coinage of silver. After leaving Washington, Teller continued to practice Law until his death.
US Presidential Cabinet Secretary, US Senator. He served as the 15th United States Secretary of the Interior during the Administration of President Chester A. Arthur from 1882 to 1885. A member of the Republican Party and later the Silver Republican Party and Democratic Party, he served the State of Colorado in the United States Senate from 1876 until 1882 and from 1885 until 1909. Born into a large Methodist family, he was raised on his family’s New York farm. He studied at Rushford and Alfred Academies in New York and worked as a teacher, in order to fund his studies to attain his Law degree, of which he received in 1858. Teller would go on to make a name for himself in the West as he was a significant contributor to the expansion of silver mining and the establishment of railway lines in connection with mining locations. This led to his election from the State of Colorado to the United States Senate in 1876. Teller caught the attention of President Arthur who appointed him Secretary of the Interior and during his tenure, he defended the interest of western homesteaders against cattlemen, speculators and Indians. In addition, he was a proponent of vocational education for Indians and the establishment of the court of Indian offenses. He returned to the United States Senate in 1885 and resumed his focus on mining communities. He crossed the isle and became a Democrat in 1896, when the Republican Party chose to support the gold standard instead of the return to free coinage of silver. After leaving Washington, Teller continued to practice Law until his death.
Bio by: C.S.
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