US Congressman. Educated at the Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1839 and commenced to practice in LaFayette, Indiana. He was a member of the Indiana State Senate (1843-48), served one year as senate president, was presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1848 and was a delegate to the peace convention held in Washington, D.C., in 1861. During the Civil War, he served as a Captain in a company of Indiana Volunteers in the Union Army. After his war service, he was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-eighth and to the three succeeding Congresses serving (1863-71). He was again reelected to the Forty-third Congress serving (1873-75). He was then appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Austria-Hungary in 1875 and served until he resigned 1876. In 1879, he was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses and served until his death at age 64.

US Congressman. Educated at the Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1839 and commenced to practice in LaFayette, Indiana. He was a member of the Indiana State Senate (1843-48), served one year as senate president, was presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1848 and was a delegate to the peace convention held in Washington, D.C., in 1861. During the Civil War, he served as a Captain in a company of Indiana Volunteers in the Union Army. After his war service, he was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-eighth and to the three succeeding Congresses serving (1863-71). He was again reelected to the Forty-third Congress serving (1873-75). He was then appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Austria-Hungary in 1875 and served until he resigned 1876. In 1879, he was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses and served until his death at age 64.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith