William Farrand Prosser | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Prosser during his tenure in the U.S. Congress | |
| City Treasurer ofSeattle | |
| In office 1908–1910 | |
| Mayor ofNorth Yakima, Washington | |
| In office 1890-1903 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromTennessee's5th district | |
| In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | John Trimble |
| Succeeded by | Edward Isaac Golladay |
| Member of theTennessee House of Representatives | |
| In office 1867-1869 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1834-03-16)March 16, 1834 |
| Died | September 23, 1911(1911-09-23) (aged 77) Seattle,Washington, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Flora Thornton Prosser |
| Children | William Thornton Prosser Margaret Prosser Mildred Prosser |
| Profession | Teacher, miner, soldier, farmer, publisher, politician |
| Signature | .png) |
William Farrand Prosser (March 16, 1834 – September 23, 1911) was an Americanpolitician who served in theUnited States House of Representatives representingTennessee, and was a Union Colonel in theAmerican Civil War.
Prosser was born on March 16, 1834, inWilliamsport, Pennsylvania, the son of David and Rachel Williams Prosser,Welsh immigrants. His family moved toJohnstown, 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 toCalifornia in 1854, where he engaged in mining.
Prosser returned to Pennsylvania in 1861 upon the outbreak of theCivil 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 theBattle of Shiloh, theBattle of Stones River, and theSiege of Knoxville. Prosser was briefly aprisoner of war in 1862.
After the war Prosser settled on a farm nearNashville, Tennessee, where he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, 1867–1869. He was elected as aRepublican to theForty-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 theCentennial 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 theNashville Republican for several years.
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In 1879, Prosser was appointed by PresidentRutherford B. Hayes as special agent of theUnited 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 theYakima River valley area in 1882, where he founded the town ofProsser, 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 titledA 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]
Prosser died September 23, 1911 (age 77 years). He isinterred at Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, Washington.[5]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromTennessee's 5th congressional district 1869–1871 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
