Robert T. Van Horn | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Van Horn,c. 1860-65 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri | |
| In office February 27, 1896 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Preceded by | John Charles Tarsney |
| Succeeded by | William S. Cowherd |
| Constituency | 5th district |
| In office March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel Locke Sawyer |
| Succeeded by | John Joseph O’Neill |
| Constituency | 8th district |
| In office March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | Austin Augustus King |
| Succeeded by | Abram Comingo |
| Constituency | 6th district |
| 6th Mayor of Kansas City | |
| In office 1863–1865 | |
| Preceded by | William Bonnifield |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Shannon |
| In office 1861–1862 | |
| Preceded by | George M.B. Maughs |
| Succeeded by | Milton J. Payne |
| Member of theMissouri State Senate | |
| In office 1862–1863 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Thompson Van Horn May 19, 1824 |
| Died | January 3, 1916(1916-01-03) (aged 91) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Twenty-fifth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Robert Thompson Van Horn (May 19, 1824 – January 3, 1916) was anAmericanlawyer, the owner and publisher ofThe Kansas City Enterprise, the6thmayor ofKansas City,Missouri during parts of theCivil War, a member of theMissouri General Assembly, and a representative of Missouri's5th,6th, and8th congressional districts.
Van Horn was born on May 19, 1824, inEast Mahoning Township,Pennsylvania, to Henry and Elizabeth (Thompson) Van Horn. He attended acommon school andapprenticed to a printer. In 1844, he moved toPomeroy,Ohio, where he studied law. He was admitted to thebar in about 1850 and began his practice in town.[1]
Van Horn moved to Kansas City in 1855. In 1856, Van Horn purchased the newspaperThe Enterprise and renamed itThe Kansas City Journal,[2] which published daily from 1858 until its closing in 1942.
In 1857, he became member of the city's board of thealdermen. He became thepostmaster of Kansas City the same year and held the position until 1861.[1]
In 1861, Van Horn was elected to his first one year term as the 6thMayor of Kansas City, the first Republican to hold the title. He would then be re-elected in 1863 and again in 1864.[1]
During theAmerican Civil War, Van Horn enlisted in theUnion Army and served as alieutenant colonel of the Twenty-fifth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry.[1]
In 1862, Van Horn was elected as a member of theMissouri State Senate, a title he held until 1864. He representedMissouri's 6th congressional district in theThirty-ninth,Fortieth, andForty-first Congresses from 1865 to 1871. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1870.[1]
Van Horn served as the chairman of the Republican State central committee from 1874 to 1876. From 1875 to 1881, he was the collector of internal revenue for the sixth district of Missouri.[1] In 1882, Van Horn was one of the original incorporators of theKansas City Club.[3]
Van Horn was a delegate to theRepublican National Conventions in 1864, 1868, 1872, 1876, 1880, and 1884. He was also a member of theRepublican National Committee in 1872 and 1884.[1]
Van Horn was elected to representMissouri's 8th congressional district in theForty-seventh Congress from 1881 to 1883. He then successfully contested the election ofJohn C. Tarsney for representative ofMissouri's 5th congressional district in theFifty-fourth Congress and served from 1896 to 1897. He sought re-election in 1896, but he was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination.[1]
Van Horn retired from editorship ofThe Kansas City Journal in 1897. He died on his estate, "Honeywood", at Evanston Station, inIndependence, Missouri on January 3, 1916, and was interred in Mount Washington Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.[1]
Van Horn High School was built on the site ofHoneywood, in 1955.[2]Truman Road was originally called Van Horn Road in his honor.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri 1861–1862 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri 1863–1864 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's 6th congressional district 1865–1871 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's 8th congressional district 1881–1883 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMissouri's 5th congressional district 1896–1897 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
