Henry Heitfeld

Henry Heitfeld (born 12 January 1859 in St. Louis, Missouri, † October 21, 1938 in Spokane, Washington ) was an American politician of the Populist Party, who represented the state of Idaho in the U.S. Senate.

After he had received his education at public and private schools in St. Louis, took the young Henry Heitfeld first to Seneca, Kansas, then to Washington and finally to Lewiston in Idaho Territory. There he settled down in 1883, was active in the agriculture and livestock farming, and married the following year Anna Jacobs.

As a member of the short-lived Populist Party Henry Heitfeld first belonged from 1894 to 1897 at the Senate of Idaho. In 1896 he was a candidate then successfully for a seat in the U.S. Senate, in which he moved in on March 4, 1897. After six years in office, he did not stand for re- election. For this purpose he applied in 1904 to the post of governor of Idaho, but was defeated by Republican Frank R. Gooding.

From 1902 to 1909 Heitfeld officiated as mayor of Lewiston; 1914-1922 he worked in this city as a notary for the United States Land Office. As a result, he was active in farming again, before he returned to politics in 1930. He became a member of the district government in Nez Perce County and was at times its chairman. In 1938 he retired and moved to Spokane, where he died a short time later. Henry Heitfeld was the last surviving U.S. senator who had belonged to the Congress in the 19th century.