John Taffe (January 30, 1827 – March 14, 1884) was a

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

Republican politician.

Biography

He was born in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, on January 30, 1827. He passed the bar and moved to the

Nebraska Territory The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Nebraska. The Nebrask ...

in 1856, becoming a member of the Nebraska Territorial House of Representatives from 1858 to 1859 and as the president of the Nebraska Territorial council in 1860 and 1861. During the

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 ...

, he enlisted and served as major in the Second Regiment of the Nebraska Volunteer Cavalry. Originally named Captain of Company "I", he was promoted to Major Jan 24, 1863, joining the Field Officers of the entire regiment. He returned to

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, where he was elected to the

Fortieth United States Congress The 40th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1867, ...

from Nebraska. He was re-elected two times serving from March 4, 1867, to March 3, 1873. During the

Forty-second United States Congress The 42nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1871, ...

, he was the chairman on the Committee on Territories. He resumed his practice of law, becoming receiver of the public land office in

North Platte, Nebraska North Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the west-central part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. ...

, where he died March 14, 1884. He is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in North Omaha.

References

* * * 1827 births 1884 deaths Nebraska lawyers Union army officers Burials at Prospect Hill Cemetery (North Omaha, Nebraska) Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub