Prosser was born on March 16, 1834, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the son of David and Rachel Williams Prosser, Welsh immigrants. His family moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, when he was very young. In Johnstown, he received a limited formal education, but went on to teach school and study law although he never practiced. He moved to California in 1854, where he engaged in mining.
Civil War yearsedit
Prosser returned to Pennsylvania in 1861 upon the outbreak of the Civil War to enter the Union Army. He was promoted through the ranks to Colonel, and served throughout the war. Prosser saw action in many battles, including the Battle of Shiloh, the Battle of Stones River, and the Siege of Knoxville. Prosser was briefly a prisoner of war in 1862.
Tennessee yearsedit
After the war Prosser settled on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee, where he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1867–1869. He was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first United States Congress in 1869, and served from March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1871.[1] He was postmaster of Nashville 1872–1875 and a director of the Tennessee, Edgefield & Kentucky Railroad. Prosser was appointed in 1872 as one of the State commissioners to the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia and was sent on a special mission in 1873 to assist in arranging participation of European countries in the exposition. He published the Nashville Republican for several years.
Washington yearsedit
A later portrait of Prosser
In 1879, Prosser was appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes as special agent of the United States Department of the Interior for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. He moved to Washington in the same year. He married Flora Louise Thornton in Seattle on April 6, 1880, and settled in the Yakima River valley area in 1882, where he founded the town of Prosser, Washington. He had three children, William Thornton Prosser, Margaret Helen Prosser, and Mildred Cyrenia Prosser.[2] He was a delegate at the first Washington State Constitutional Convention in 1889.[3]
Prosser was one of the founders of the Washington State Historical Society, which he served as president for a time. In 1903, he authored a two volume history titled A History of the Puget Sound Country.
He also served as chairman of the State harbor line commission, mayor of North Yakima (1890–1903), and city treasurer of Seattle 1908–1910.[3][4]
Deathedit
Prosser died September 23, 1911 (age 77 years). He is interred at Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, Washington.[5]
Referencesedit
^"William Farrand Prosser". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
^"William Farrand Prosser". Ancestry.com. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
^ ab"Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (United States Congress). Retrieved September 22, 2022.
^Herringshaw, Thomas William (1914). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States; Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits ... American Publishers' Association. p. 523. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
^"William Farrand Prosser". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
External linksedit
William Farrand Prosser, A History of the Puget Sound Country, (Lewis Publishing Co.: 1903).
Clinton A. Snowden et al., History of Washington: The Rise and Progress of an American State, (Century History Co.: 1911).
Henry Wilson Storey, History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, (Lewis Publishing Co.: 1907)
william, prosser, william, farrand, prosser, march, 1834, september, 1911, american, politician, served, united, states, house, representatives, representing, tennessee, union, colonel, american, civil, william, farrand, prosserprosser, during, tenure, congres. William Farrand Prosser March 16 1834 September 23 1911 was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives representing Tennessee and was a Union Colonel in the American Civil War William Farrand ProsserProsser during his tenure in the U S CongressCity Treasurer of SeattleIn office 1908 1910Mayor of North Yakima WashingtonIn office 1890 1903Member of the U S House of Representatives from Tennessee s 5th districtIn office March 4 1869 March 3 1871Preceded byJohn TrimbleSucceeded byEdward Isaac GolladayMember of the Tennessee House of RepresentativesIn office 1867 1869Personal detailsBorn 1834 03 16 March 16 1834Williamsport Pennsylvania U S DiedSeptember 23 1911 1911 09 23 aged 77 Seattle Washington U S Political partyRepublicanSpouseFlora Thornton ProsserChildrenWilliam Thornton ProsserMargaret ProsserMildred ProsserProfessionTeacher miner soldier farmer publisher politicianSignature Contents 1 Early years 2 Civil War years 3 Tennessee years 4 Washington years 5 Death 6 References 7 External linksEarly years editProsser was born on March 16 1834 in Williamsport Pennsylvania the son of David and Rachel Williams Prosser Welsh immigrants His family moved to Johnstown Pennsylvania when he was very young In Johnstown he received a limited formal education but went on to teach school and study law although he never practiced He moved to California in 1854 where he engaged in mining Civil War years editProsser returned to Pennsylvania in 1861 upon the outbreak of the Civil War to enter the Union Army He was promoted through the ranks to Colonel and served throughout the war Prosser saw action in many battles including the Battle of Shiloh the Battle of Stones River and the Siege of Knoxville Prosser was briefly a prisoner of war in 1862 Tennessee years editAfter the war Prosser settled on a farm near Nashville Tennessee where he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives 1867 1869 He was elected as a Republican to the Forty first United States Congress in 1869 and served from March 4 1869 to March 3 1871 1 He was postmaster of Nashville 1872 1875 and a director of the Tennessee Edgefield amp Kentucky Railroad Prosser was appointed in 1872 as one of the State commissioners to the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia and was sent on a special mission in 1873 to assist in arranging participation of European countries in the exposition He published the Nashville Republican for several years Washington years edit nbsp A later portrait of Prosser In 1879 Prosser was appointed by President Rutherford B Hayes as special agent of the United States Department of the Interior for Oregon Washington and Idaho He moved to Washington in the same year He married Flora Louise Thornton in Seattle on April 6 1880 and settled in the Yakima River valley area in 1882 where he founded the town of Prosser Washington He had three children William Thornton Prosser Margaret Helen Prosser and Mildred Cyrenia Prosser 2 He was a delegate at the first Washington State Constitutional Convention in 1889 3 Prosser was one of the founders of the Washington State Historical Society which he served as president for a time In 1903 he authored a two volume history titled A History of the Puget Sound Country He also served as chairman of the State harbor line commission mayor of North Yakima 1890 1903 and city treasurer of Seattle 1908 1910 3 4 Death editProsser died September 23 1911 age 77 years He is interred at Lake View Cemetery Seattle Washington 5 References edit William Farrand Prosser Govtrack US Congress Retrieved April 8 2013 William Farrand Prosser Ancestry com Retrieved April 8 2013 a b Bioguide Search bioguide congress gov Biographical Directory of the United States Congress United States Congress Retrieved September 22 2022 Herringshaw Thomas William 1914 Herringshaw s National Library of American Biography Contains Thirty five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits American Publishers Association p 523 Retrieved September 22 2022 William Farrand Prosser The Political Graveyard Retrieved April 8 2013 External links editWilliam Farrand Prosser A History of the Puget Sound Country Lewis Publishing Co 1903 Clinton A Snowden et al History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State Century History Co 1911 Henry Wilson Storey History of Cambria County Pennsylvania Lewis Publishing Co 1907 William F Prosser at Find a Grave U S House of Representatives Preceded byJohn Trimble Member of the U S House of Representatives from Tennessee s 5th congressional district1869 1871 Succeeded byEdward I Golladay Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William F Prosser amp oldid 1191204668, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
