Edward S. Minor
American politician (1840–1924)
Edward S. Minor
In office March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1907Preceded by Webster E. Brown Succeeded by Gustav Küstermann Constituency 9th district In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1903Preceded by Lyman E. Barnes Succeeded by James H. Davidson Constituency 8th district In office April 1918 – April 1920Preceded by Nathaniel C. Garland Succeeded by John Boler In office April 1894 – April 1895Preceded by Louis Reichel Succeeded by George Nelson In office January 1, 1883 – January 3, 1887Preceded by William A. Ellis Succeeded by Edward Scofield In office January 5, 1880 – January 2, 1882Preceded by Charles August Masse Succeeded by Adelbert Delos Thorp In office January 7, 1878 – January 6, 1879Preceded by Jarvis T. Wright Succeeded by Charles August Masse
Born December 13, 1840Jefferson County, New York , U.S. Died July 26, 1924(1924-07-26) (aged 83)Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin , U.S. Resting place Bayside Cemetery, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Political party Republican Spouse
Mathilda Eloiza Graham
(
m. 1867–1924)
Children Stanton Minor Byron A. Minor Sybil (Elwell) (Washburn) Maude (Knudtson) Ula Dorothy (Frank) Ethel (Nelson) Allegiance United States Branch/service United States Volunteers Union Army Years of service 1861–1865 Rank 1st Lieutenant , USVUnit 2nd Reg. Wis. Vol. Cavalry Battles/wars American Civil War
Edward Sloman Minor (December 13, 1840 – July 26, 1924) was an American businessman, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served six terms in the United States House of Representatives , representing northeastern Wisconsin (1895–1907). He was also the 7th and 16th mayor of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin , represented Door County for seven years in the Wisconsin Legislature , and served as a Union Army cavalry officer during the American Civil War .
Early life
Edward S. Minor was born on December 13, 1840, in Jefferson County, New York . As a child, he moved to the Wisconsin Territory with his parents, settling in the town of Greenfield , in Milwaukee County . They soon moved to Milwaukee , where his father worked as a ship calker and Edward attended the public schools. The family moved to a homestead in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin , in 1852, where they worked as farm laborers.[1]
In the Spring of 1858, Edward Minor went north to Door County, Wisconsin , walking from Baileys Harbor to Fish Creek to claim a plot of land for the family from the United States General Land Office . The rest of the family joined him there in July.[2] [3]
Civil War service
At the outbreak of the American Civil War , Minor volunteered for service in the Union Army and was enrolled as a private in Company G of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment .[4] The 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry served in the western theater of the war and west of the Mississippi .[5]
He was promoted to corporal , and sergeant , and re-enlisted as a veteran with the regiment after the expiration of his three-year enlistment. At the end of the war, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant , and was then promoted to first lieutenant on July 29, 1865. He mustered out with the regiment in November 1865.[4]
Political career
After the war, Minor worked as a merchant in Fish Creek, dealing in timber products.[2]
He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1877, representing Door County in the 31st Wisconsin Legislature .[6] He did not run for re-election in 1878, but ran again in 1879 and 1880, and won both elections.[7] [8]
In 1882, Minor won a four-year term in the Wisconsin State Senate .[9] He represented the 1st State Senate district , which then comprised most of the northeast quadrant of the state, and was elected president pro tempore of the Senate for the 1885 session .[10]
During his earlier Assembly term, he supported the construction of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal , and during his Senate term he was appointed superintendent of the canal and moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin .[2] He remained in this office until 1891, and served as a member of the Wisconsin Fish Commission for four years. He was then elected mayor of Sturgeon Bay in 1894.[10]
Congress
Later that year, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 8th congressional district . He went on to defeat incumbent Democrat Lyman E. Barnes in the 1894 general election .[10] He was subsequently re-elected three times in this district, in 1896, 1898, and 1900.[11] [12] [13] After the 1900 United States census , another congressional district was added to Wisconsin's delegation, and in the redistricting , Minor's county was moved from the 8th congressional district to the 9th . Minor was elected to two more terms in Congress representing the 9th congressional district.[14] [15] In 1906, however, Minor was defeated in the primary election by Gustav Küstermann , who went on to succeed him in 1907.[16]
During his time in Congress, he was active in the work of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries , especially concerning funding for improvements of rivers and harbors. He was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures for the Department of the Interior during the 58th and 59th congresses. He was well known among the political class in Washington, D.C. , and was described as a trusted friend of Theodore Roosevelt .[2]
Later years
After leaving office, he was appointed postmaster at Sturgeon Bay from 1911 through 1915, and was elected to another term as mayor in 1918. He died at his home in Sturgeon Bay on July 26, 1924, after a month-long decline in his health.[1] He was interred at Sturgeon Bay's Bayside Cemetery.[17]
Personal life and family
Edward S. Minor was one of five children born to Martin Minor and his wife Abigail (née St. Ores). The Minors were descendants of early British colonists to the Massachusetts Bay Colony .[2]
Edward Minor married Mathilda Eloiza "Tillie" Graham in 1867. Tillie was the daughter of Oliver Perry Graham, another Door County pioneer who erected the first lumber mill at Sturgeon Bay. Edward and Tillie had at least six children, though only five survived him. His eldest son, Stanton, worked as his private secretary during his years in Congress and was an unsuccessful candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly.[2]
He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows , the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States , and the Grand Army of the Republic .[2]
Electoral history
Wisconsin Assembly (1877, 1879, 1880)
Wisconsin Senate (1882)
U.S. House of Representatives, 8th district (1894, 1896, 1898, 1900)
Year
Date
Elected
Defeated
Total
Plurality
1894 [10]
Nov. 6
Edward S. Minor
Republican
19,902
54.22%
Lyman E. Barnes
Dem.
15,522
42.29%
36,703
4,380
John Faville
Proh.
949
2.59%
A. J. Larrabee
Peo.
330
0.90%
1896 [11]
Nov. 3
Edward S. Minor (inc)
Republican
26,471
60.30%
George W. Cate
Dem.
16,845
38.37%
43,896
9,626
John W. Evans
Proh.
580
1.32%
1898 [12]
Nov. 8
Edward S. Minor (inc)
Republican
16,910
54.19%
Philip Sheridan
Dem.
13,668
43.80%
31,207
3,242
John W. Evans
Proh.
629
2.02%
1900 [13]
Nov. 6
Edward S. Minor (inc)
Republican
25,263
60.15%
Nathan E. Morgan
Dem.
16,740
39.85%
42,003
8,523
U.S. House of Representatives, 9th district (1902, 1904)
References
^ a b "E. S. Minor, Ex-Congress Member, Dies" . The Capital Times . July 26, 1924. p. 3. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ a b c d e f g History of Door County, Wisconsin, the County Beautiful . Vol. 2. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1917. pp. 64–68. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ Martin, Charles I. (1881). History of Door County, Wisconsin . Expositor Job Print. pp. 53–54 . Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b "Second Regiment Infantry". Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861–1865 . Vol. 1. State of Wisconsin. 1886. p. 71 . Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ Quiner, Edwin B. (1866). "Regimental History–Second Cavalry". The Military History of Wisconsin . Clarke & Co. pp. 900–908. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Bashford, R. M., ed. (1878). "Official Directory" (PDF) . The Legislative Manual of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 469. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 512. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Heg, J. E., ed. (1881). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 508–509. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Heg, James E., ed. (1885). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 419. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b c d Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 660. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 654–655. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Froehlich, William H., ed. (1899). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 746–747. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Froehlich, William H., ed. (1901). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 724. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Erickson, Halford, ed. (1903). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 1075–1076. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ a b Erickson, Halford, ed. (1905). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF) . The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1068. Retrieved March 11, 2022 .
^ "Minor Defeated for Renomination" . The Post-Crescent . September 7, 1906. p. 6. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Death Takes E. S. Minor of Sturgeon Bay" . Green Bay Press-Gazette . July 26, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
External links
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Door district January 7, 1878 – January 6, 1879
Succeeded by
Preceded byCharles August Masse
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Door district January 5, 1880 – January 2, 1882
Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 1st district January 1, 1883 – January 3, 1887
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th congressional district March 4, 1895 - March 3, 1903
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 9th congressional district March 4, 1903 - March 3, 1907
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded byLouis Reichel
Mayor of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin April 1894 – April 1895
Succeeded byGeorge Nelson
Preceded byNathaniel C. Garland
Mayor of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin April 1918 – April 1920
Succeeded byJohn Boler