William Henry Barnum

William Henry Barnum ( born September 17, 1818 in Boston Corners, Mount Washington, Massachusetts, now part of Ancram, New York, † April 30, 1889 in Lime Rock, Lakeville, Connecticut ) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Connecticut in both chambers of the U.S. Congress.

Policy

Born in Massachusetts in the Berkshire County Barnum later moved to Connecticut, where he was also politically active. From 1851 to 1852 he was a member of the House of Representatives from Connecticut; In 1867 he then moved to a fourth election district of the state in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he prevailed over his cousin PT Barnum, who ran for the Republican. After the death of Senator Orris S. Ferry William Barnum was elected to succeed him and changed on May 18, 1876 within the Congress in the Senate. His tenure ended there on March 3, 1879.

Within his party Barnum was one of the leaders. In 1877 he took over the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, a position he held until his death in 1889. No other chairman of the Democrats bringing it to such a long term.

Act as an industrialist

William Barnum made ​​himself not only as a politician, but also as an industrialist a name. Langer's Barnum Richardson Company, located in Lime Rock, was the leading company in the iron ore industry in the area of Salisbury. The company owned or controlled the ore mines; the charcoal production, limestone mining and railway transport were in their hands. In addition, Barnum Richardson was one of the leading companies in the production of railway wheels.

1872 Barnum was a business partnership with Collis P. Huntington, a. Together, they invested in a company for the manufacture of railway freight wagons Ensign Manufacturing Company. There, among other major contracts for the Central Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad were performed.

Barnum was known at that time for its religious tolerance. Even a member of the Episcopal Church, he did not participate in discrimination against the Catholic population group in this area of New England was customary at that time. Rather, he donated large sums of money for the construction of two Catholic churches. When the residents complained to him because of the local Catholic priest had placed a crucifix, and required him to dismiss his Catholic workers, Barnum refused.