Cyrus C. Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Cyrus Clay Carpenter was a Civil War
officer, the eighth Governor of Iowa and U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 9th congressional district
.
, Carpenter attended the common schools, and was graduated from Harford Academy in 1853. His parents were Asahel Carpenter and Amanda M. Thayer and he is a descendant of the immigrant William Carpenter (1605 England - 1658/1659 Rehoboth, Massachusetts) the founder of the Rehoboth Carpenter family
who came to America in the mid-1630s.
in 1856. He studied law but never practiced. In March, 1857, he joined the relief expedition sent to Spirit Lake
to aid the settlers driven from their homes by the Sioux Indians in the aftermath of the Spirit Lake Massacre
.
He initially served as member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from 1858 to 1860.
Carpenter volunteered as a private then was elected captain of volunteers on March 24, 1862, appointed lieutenant colonel on September 26, 1864, and brevet colonel on July 12, 1865 "for efficient and meritorious services" when he was in charge of commissary of subsistence in Sherman's Army on the march to the sea. He was mustered out July 14, 1865. During the war he served on the staff of Generals William Rosecrans
, Grenville M. Dodge
and John A. Logan
.
After his service, he returned to Iowa where he married Susan C. Burkholder of Fort Dodge. He was elected as registrar of the Iowa state land office, from 1866 to 1868.
of the United States, where he served two years, from January 1876 to September 1877. On March 26, 1878, he was appointed as a railroad commissioner of Iowa.
In 1878 Carpenter was elected Congress to represent Iowa's 9th congressional district, which was then made up of the sparsely-settled northwestern quadrant of the state. After serving in the 46th United States Congress
, he was re-elected in 1880 and served in the 47th United States Congress
. He did not seek re-election to Congress in 1882. In all, he served in Congress from March 4, 1879 to March 3, 1883.
Returning to Iowa from Washington, District of Columbia for the last time, he served as postmaster of Fort Dodge
from 1889 to 1893. He also engaged in the management of his farm and in the real-estate business.
He died in Fort Dodge on May 29, 1898. He was interred in Oakland Cemetery in Fort Dodge.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
officer, the eighth Governor of Iowa and U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa's 9th congressional district
Iowa's 9th congressional district
Iowa’s 9th congressional district existed from 1873 to 1943. The district was configured four times, first as part of a nine-district plan, then twice in eleven-district plans, then again in a nine-district plan...
.
Early life
Born near Harford, PennsylvaniaHarford Township, Pennsylvania
Harford Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,301 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
, Carpenter attended the common schools, and was graduated from Harford Academy in 1853. His parents were Asahel Carpenter and Amanda M. Thayer and he is a descendant of the immigrant William Carpenter (1605 England - 1658/1659 Rehoboth, Massachusetts) the founder of the Rehoboth Carpenter family
Rehoboth Carpenter Family
The Rehoboth Carpenter family is an American family that helped settle the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts in 1644.The first immigrant and founder of this line was William Carpenter The Rehoboth Carpenter family is an American family that helped settle the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts in...
who came to America in the mid-1630s.
Early work
He moved to Iowa in 1854 and engaged in teaching and afterwards in land surveying, working as the County surveyor of Webster CountyWebster County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 38,013 in the county, with a population density of . There were 17,035 housing units, of which 15,580 were occupied.-2000 census:...
in 1856. He studied law but never practiced. In March, 1857, he joined the relief expedition sent to Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake, Iowa
Spirit Lake is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,261 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Dickinson County.The town is located along the western shore of East Okoboji Lake, in the Iowa Great Lakes region....
to aid the settlers driven from their homes by the Sioux Indians in the aftermath of the Spirit Lake Massacre
Spirit Lake Massacre
The Spirit Lake Massacre was an attack by a Wahpetuke band of Santee Sioux on scattered Iowa frontier settlements during a severe winter. Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief Inkpaduta led 14 Sioux against the settlements near Okoboji and Spirit lakes in the northwestern territory of...
.
He initially served as member of the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
from 1858 to 1860.
Civil War
During the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Carpenter volunteered as a private then was elected captain of volunteers on March 24, 1862, appointed lieutenant colonel on September 26, 1864, and brevet colonel on July 12, 1865 "for efficient and meritorious services" when he was in charge of commissary of subsistence in Sherman's Army on the march to the sea. He was mustered out July 14, 1865. During the war he served on the staff of Generals William Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
, Grenville M. Dodge
Grenville M. Dodge
Grenville Mellen Dodge was a Union army officer on the frontier and during the Civil War, a U.S. Congressman, businessman, and railroad executive who helped construct the Transcontinental Railroad....
and John A. Logan
John A. Logan
John Alexander Logan was an American soldier and political leader. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He served the state of Illinois as a state senator, congressman and senator and was an unsuccessful candidate for Vice President...
.
After his service, he returned to Iowa where he married Susan C. Burkholder of Fort Dodge. He was elected as registrar of the Iowa state land office, from 1866 to 1868.
Mid life
In 1871, he was run as a Republican for Governor of Iowa, winning his first two-year term. He was re-elected to a second term in 1873, serving until early 1876. At the expiration of his term he was appointed Second Comptroller of the TreasuryComptroller of the Treasury
The Comptroller of the Treasury was an official of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1789 to 1817. According to section III of the Act of Congress establishing the Treasury Department, it is the comptroller's duty to...
of the United States, where he served two years, from January 1876 to September 1877. On March 26, 1878, he was appointed as a railroad commissioner of Iowa.
In 1878 Carpenter was elected Congress to represent Iowa's 9th congressional district, which was then made up of the sparsely-settled northwestern quadrant of the state. After serving in the 46th United States Congress
46th United States Congress
The Forty-sixth 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, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
, he was re-elected in 1880 and served in the 47th United States Congress
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh 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, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
. He did not seek re-election to Congress in 1882. In all, he served in Congress from March 4, 1879 to March 3, 1883.
Later life
In 1883, he again ran for the state legislature, winning election to the Iowa House of Representatives for a two-year term, and serving from 1884 to 1886.Returning to Iowa from Washington, District of Columbia for the last time, he served as postmaster of Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
from 1889 to 1893. He also engaged in the management of his farm and in the real-estate business.
He died in Fort Dodge on May 29, 1898. He was interred in Oakland Cemetery in Fort Dodge.