Ozora Pierson Stearns (January 15, 1831June 2, 1896) was an

American politician In the United States, politics functions within a framework of a constitutional federal democratic republic with a presidential system. The three distinct branches share powers: Congress, which forms the legislative branch, a bicameral legis ...

and attorney. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a US Senator from the state of Minnesota. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served as mayor of

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

, and county attorney of Olmsted County. He was a

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in the Union Army 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 ...

Early years

Stearns was born January 15, 1831, in De Kalb, New York. He was the tenth of eleven children. In 1833, the Stearns family moved to

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

, Ohio.

Education

Stearn attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

, graduated from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

in 1858, and from the law department of that university in 1860. He was admitted to the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

in 1860 and commenced practice in

Career

Stearns was elected prosecuting attorney of

Olmsted County, Minnesota Olmsted County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population is 162,847. Its county seat and most populous city is Rochester. Olmsted County is part of the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area. Histor ...

, in 1861, formed a law partnership with Charles M. Start in 1863, and served as mayor of Rochester from 1866 to 1868. He served in the Union Army during 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 ...

as a first lieutenant in the

9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a Minnesota United States Volunteers, USV infantry regiment that served in the Union Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Service The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was organized into ...

and later as

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the 39th United States Colored Infantry. He led the latter regiment at the

Battle of the Crater The Battle of the Crater took place during the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It occurred on Saturday, July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee, and the Union ...

on July 30, 1864. Stearns was elected as a Republican to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

from Minnesota on January 18, 1871, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Daniel S. Norton. He served in the

41st Congress The 41st 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, 1869, ...

from January 23, 1871, to March 3, 1871. In 1872, Stearns moved to

Duluth Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

and formed a law partnership with J. D. Ensign (future mayor of Duluth). Governor

Cushman Kellogg Davis Cushman Kellogg Davis (June 16, 1838November 27, 1900) was an American United States Republican Party, Republican politician who served as the List of Governors of Minnesota, seventh Governor of Minnesota and as a United States Senate, U.S. Senat ...

appointed Stearns as a judge of the eleventh judicial district of Minnesota in 1874. He was re-elected three times, serving until 1895. According to Stearns, when he began as a judge, "there was not a court-house in the district. We held court where we could— in churches, in stores, school-houses, and sometimes in places not quite so respected." Alternate link a

Stearns also served as a regent of the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

(1890–1895), president and treasurer of the Lakeside Land company, director in the West Duluth Land company, the Duluth Electric Light and Power company, the

Masonic Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

Temple association, the Duluth Building and Loan association and the Duluth Union National bank.

Personal life

Stearns married Sarah Burger Stearns, the first president of the

Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association The Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association (MWSA) operated from 1881 to 1920. The organization was part of the broader women's suffrage in the United States, women's suffrage movement in the United States and it sought to secure the right of women to ...

. In 1891, he suffered a stroke, and they moved to California in 1894 because of his failing health. He died in Pacific Beach, California, on June 2, 1896. His remains were cremated in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, and the ashes interred in Forest Hill Cemetery,

Duluth, Minnesota Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stearns, Ozora Pierson 1831 births 1896 deaths Mayors of Rochester, Minnesota Minnesota state court judges People of Minnesota in the American Civil War Minnesota Republicans Union army colonels Republican Party United States senators from Minnesota University of Michigan Law School alumni People from De Kalb, New York University of Michigan alumni 19th-century Minnesota state court judges 19th-century United States senators