Gustavus A. Finkelnburg
Encyclopedia
Gustavus Adolphus Finkelnburg (ˈɡʊstaf ˈfɪŋkəlnbʊʁk; April 6, 1837 – May 18, 1908) was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from Missouri
.
, Finkelnburg immigrated to the United States
with his parents in 1848, settling in St. Charles, Missouri. He attended St. Charles College
and graduated from Cincinnati Law School
in 1859. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860, commencing practice in St. Louis, Missouri
. During the Civil War
, Finkelnburg served as a private
in the Union Army
and was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from 1864 to 1868, serving as speaker pro tempore in 1868.
Finkelnberg was elected a Republican
and later reelected a Liberal Republican
to the United States House of Representatives
in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1873. Finkelnburg was a federal judge to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
; Finkelnburg received a recess appointment
from Theodore Roosevelt on May 20, 1905, to a seat vacated by Elmer B. Adams. He was formally nominated on December 5, 1905, and was confirmed by the United States Senate
and received commission on December 12, 1905. Finkelnburg resigned March 31, 1907. He died in Denver, Colorado
on May 18, 1908 and was interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery
in St. Louis, Missouri
.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Biography
Born near Cologne, GermanyCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Finkelnburg immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with his parents in 1848, settling in St. Charles, Missouri. He attended St. Charles College
St. Charles Community College
St. Charles Community College is a St. Louis-area two-year college in suburban St. Charles County, Missouri. Established in 1986, SCC's first fall semester in 1987 had an enrollment of 1,547 students...
and graduated from Cincinnati Law School
University of Cincinnati College of Law
The University of Cincinnati College of Law is the fourth oldest continually running law school in the United States and a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools. It was started in 1833 as the Cincinnati Law School...
in 1859. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860, commencing practice in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. During the Civil War
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...
, Finkelnburg served as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
and was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives
Missouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
from 1864 to 1868, serving as speaker pro tempore in 1868.
Finkelnberg was elected a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and later reelected a Liberal Republican
Liberal Republican Party (United States)
The Liberal Republican Party of the United States was a political party that was organized in Cincinnati in May 1872, to oppose the reelection of President Ulysses S. Grant and his Radical Republican supporters. The party's candidate in that year's presidential election was Horace Greeley, longtime...
to the United States House of Representatives
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...
in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1873. Finkelnburg was a federal judge to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri is a trial level federal district court based in St. Louis, Missouri, with jurisdiction over fifty counties in the eastern half of Missouri. The court is one of ninety-four district-level courts which make up the first tier of...
; Finkelnburg received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
from Theodore Roosevelt on May 20, 1905, to a seat vacated by Elmer B. Adams. He was formally nominated on December 5, 1905, and was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and received commission on December 12, 1905. Finkelnburg resigned March 31, 1907. He died in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
on May 18, 1908 and was interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries
Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri are adjacent burial grounds, which have numerous historic and extravagant tombstones and mausoleums. They are the necropolis for a number of prominent local and state politicians, as well as soldiers of the...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.