Hiram Price (January 10, 1814 – May 30, 1901) was a nineteenth-century banker,
merchant
A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...
,
bookkeeper, bank president, railroad president, and five-term
Republican congressman from
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of its northeastern part. It includes Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa, Dubuque ...
and as
commissioner of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
.
Life and career
Born in
Washington County, Pennsylvania
Washington County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 209,349. Its county seat is Washington, Pe ...
, Price attended common schools as a child and engaged in agricultural pursuits on his father's farm for several years. He worked as a bookkeeper for a large commission house near
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
and equipped himself for
mercantile
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cred ...
life. He moved to
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...
in 1844 where he engaged in the mercantile business, served as collector, treasurer, and recorder of
Scott County, Iowa
Scott County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 174,669, making it the third-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Davenport, Io ...
and was president of the State Bank of Iowa from 1859 to 1866. He was one of fifteen men to sign the Articles of Incorporation for the
Oakdale Cemetery Company on May 14, 1856.
At 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 ...
,
Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Samuel J. Kirkwood appointed Price
paymaster general
His Majesty's Paymaster General or HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The position is currently held by Nick Thomas-Symonds of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party.
History
The post was ...
of
Iowa
Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
troops to whom he advanced large sums of money.
In 1862, he was elected as a
Republican to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
. He served three consecutive terms, from 1863 to 1869. During that period, he served as chairman of the
Committee on Revolutionary Claims from 1863 to 1865 and of the
Committee on Pacific Railroads from 1865 to 1869.
After Price declined renomination in 1868, returned to Iowa, where he served as president of the
First National Bank of Davenport in 1873 and president of the
Davenport and St. Paul Railroad. He was also a trustee of the
Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home, being instrumental in gaining the donation of Camp Kinsman in Davenport for the Home.
In 1876, voters in the Second District returned Price to the House of Representatives, where he served two additional terms (from 1877 to 1881). He declined renomination in 1880. He was appointed chief clerk of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
in 1881 and later the same year was appointed
commissioner of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
by
President
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*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
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*'' Præsident ...
James A. Garfield
James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 1881 until his death in September that year after being shot two months earlier. A preacher, lawyer, and Civi ...
, serving from 1881 to 1885.
Price lived in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
until his death there on May 30, 1901. He was interred in
Oakdale Cemetery in
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...
.
External links
Hiram Price Papersare housed at the University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections & Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Hiram
1814 births
1901 deaths
Politicians from Washington County, Pennsylvania
19th-century American railroad executives
United States Army paymasters
People from Davenport, Iowa
People of Iowa in the American Civil War
Washington, D.C., Republicans
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa
Military personnel from Pennsylvania
19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives