David B. Loomis (1817–1897) was an American lumberman and politician who served in the Minnesota Territorial Council from 1849 until 1854 and in the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

for the year 1874. He was the President of the Territorial Council from 1851 until 1852.

Biography

Loomis was born in

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

in 1817. He came to

Alton, Illinois Alton ( ) is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 25,676 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a part of the River Bend (Illinois), Riv ...

, with his parents and received his common education there. He then attended

Western Reserve University Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

. His brother,

Elias Elias ( ; ) is the hellenized version for the name of Elijah (; ; , or ), a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th century BC, mentioned in several holy books. Due to Elias' role in the scriptures and to many later associated tradit ...

, was a professor of mathematics while he attended. Loomis came to St. Croix Falls in 1843 and began working in the

lumber industry The wood industry or timber industry (sometimes lumber industry – when referring mainly to sawed boards) is the industry concerned with forestry, logging, timber trade, and the production of primary forest products and wood products (e.g. fu ...

. He would partner with such figures as W.H.C. Folsom and Martin Mower, the brother of John Edward Mower. Upon the establishment of the

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...

, Loomis was elected to the Territorial Council. His place of residence was listed as Marine Mills. He was appointed President of the Council for the Second Territorial Legislature. While President, he created legislation that formed Chisago County. Upon the outbreak of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, Loomis was enlisted into the 2nd Minnesota Infantry Regiment. He was made

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

of Company F and was sent to Fort Ripley. He was made

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in 1863 but had to resign due to disability a year later. Following the war, he moved to Stillwater and was elected to the House of Representatives for one term. He died in 1897.

References

External links

Biography
at the

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decenn ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loomis, David B. 1817 births 1897 deaths Members of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature Politicians from Alton, Illinois People from St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin People from Stillwater, Minnesota People of Minnesota in the American Civil War Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature