Ira Sherwin Haseltine (July 13, 1821 – January 13, 1899) was a farmer and lawyer who was active in Wisconsin and Missouri. As a member of the

Greenback Party The Greenback Party (known successively as the Independent Party, the National Independent Party and the Greenback Labor Party) was an Political parties in the United States, American political party with an Competition law, anti-monopoly ideolog ...

, he represented

Missouri's 6th congressional district Missouri's 6th congressional district takes in a large swath of land in northern Missouri, stretching across nearly the entire width of the state from Kansas to Illinois. Its largest voting population is centered in the northern portion of the ...

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 ...

from March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883.

Biography

Haseltine was born in Andover, Vermont on July 13, 1821, a son of Orien Haseltine and Rachel (Burton) Haseltine. He was raised and educated in Andover and in

Waukesha County, Wisconsin Waukesha County () is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its median income of $88,985 placed ...

, and taught school in

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the only city in and the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez was ...

for three years. He moved to what is now

Richland Center, Wisconsin Richland Center is a city in Richland County, Wisconsin, United States and is the county seat. The population was 5,114 at the 2020 census. History Richland Center was founded in 1851 by Ira S. Haseltine from Andover, Vermont, northwest of Br ...

in 1842; Haseltine was one of the founders of the city in 1851, and was credited with both planning its layout and selecting its name. Haseltine studied law in

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

with

Don A. J. Upham Don Alonzo Joshua Upham (May 1, 1809July 19, 1877) was an Americans, American lawyer, Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served as the 4th List of mayors of Milwaukee, Mayor of Milwaukee and was t ...

; he was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1842 and practiced in Richland Center. Active in politics as a Republican, Haseltine was a delegate to the party's 1854 state convention and to the

1860 Republican National Convention The 1860 Republican National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention that met May 16–18 in Chicago, Illinois. It was held to nominate the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

. In 1866, he won election to the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

, and he served one term, 1867 to 1868. In 1870, Haseltine moved to a farm near

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

, where his sons and he started Haseltine orchards, a successful apple-growing operation. In the 1870s, Haseltine became an adherent of the

, which opposed corporate monopolies and efforts to return to the pre-

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

gold standard A gold standard is a backed currency, monetary system in which the standard economics, economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the ...

. In 1880, he was a successful Greenback candidate for the U.S. House, and he served one term, March 4, 1881 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882 and resumed his farming activities in Springfield. Haseltine died in Springfield on January 13, 1899. He was buried in Hazelwood Cemetery in Springfield.

Family

In 1846, Haseltine married Augusta Thomas (1828–1902). They were the parents of nine children who lived to adulthood, five sons and four daughters.

Legacy

A large portion of Haseltine's Springfield apple growing operation has been preserved as The Haseltine Orchards Historic Area. Haseltine's home has been preserved as the Haseltine Estate, and is operated as a privately owned wedding venue.

Notes

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haseltine, Ira S. 1821 births 1899 deaths Politicians from Windsor County, Vermont American people of English descent Greenback Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Politicians from Springfield, Missouri People from Greene County, Missouri People from Richland Center, Wisconsin Politicians from Richland County, Wisconsin 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives