Francis Emroy Warren (June 20, 1844November 24, 1929) was an American politician of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

best known for his years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming and being the first Governor of Wyoming. A soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War, he was the last veteran of that conflict to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Early life and military service

Warren was born on June 20, 1844, in Hinsdale,

Berkshire County Berkshire County (pronounced ) is a county on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield. The county was founded in ...

, Massachusetts, the son of Cynthia Estella (Abbott) and Joseph Spencer Warren. He grew up attending common schools and his local

Hinsdale Academy Hinsdale may refer to: Places In the United States: * Hinsdale, Illinois **Hinsdale station, on Metra's BNSF Railway Line * Hinsdale, Massachusetts *Hinsdale, Montana *Hinsdale, New Hampshire, a New England town **Hinsdale (CDP), New Hampshire, the ...

. During the civil war, Warren served in the 49th Massachusetts Infantry as a

noncommissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

. At the age of nineteen at the siege of Port Hudson, Warren received the Medal of Honor for battlefield gallantry. His entire platoon was destroyed by Confederate bombardment and Warren, taking a serious scalp wound, disabled the artillery. Warren later served as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

Massachusetts Militia This is a list of militia units of the Colony and later Commonwealth of Massachusetts. *Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts (1638) *Cogswell's Regiment of Militia (April 19, 1775) *Woodbridge's Regiment of Militia (April 20, ...

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization: Corporal, Company C, 49th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and Date: At Port Hudson, La., May 27, 1863. Entered Service At: Hinsdale, Mass. Birth: Hinsdale, Mass. Date Of Issue: September 30, 1893. Citation: :Volunteered in response to a call, and took part in the movement that was made upon the enemy's works under a heavy fire therefrom in advance of the general assault.

Personal life

Francis E. Warren married Helen Smith, a woman from Massachusetts, although all of their married life until his first election to the United States Senate, in 1890, was spent in Wyoming. They had two children, a daughter, Helen Frances, and a son, Frederick Emory. Mrs. Warren was the president of church, literary and charitable societies of Cheyenne, vice-president of the Foundling Hospital, and Daughter of the American Revolution.

Business and politics

Following the civil war, Warren engaged in farming and stock-raising in Massachusetts before moving to Wyoming (then part of the

Territory of Dakota The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

) in 1868. Settling in Cheyenne, Warren engaged in real estate,

mercantile Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct exchan ...

business, livestock raising and the establishment of Cheyenne's first lighting system, becoming quite wealthy. Warren's political work included: member, Wyoming Territorial Senate (1873–1874, 1884–1885), serving as senate president; member, Cheyenne City Council (1873–1874); treasurer of Wyoming (1876, 1879, 1882, 1884); and Mayor of Cheyenne (1885). In February 1885, Warren was appointed Governor of the Territory of Wyoming by President Chester A. Arthur, although he was removed by

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

President Grover Cleveland in November 1886. He was reappointed by President Benjamin Harrison in April 1889, and served until 1890, when he was elected first Governor of Wyoming (October 11, 1890 – November 24, 1890).

Senate years and death

In November 1890, Warren resigned as governor, having been elected to the United States Senate as a Republican, serving until March 4, 1893. He then resumed his former business pursuits before returning to the Senate (March 4, 1895–November 24, 1929). Warren chaired the following Senate Committees: :- Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands :- Committee on Claims :- Committee on Irrigation :- Committee on Military Affairs :- Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds :- Committee on Agriculture and Forestry :- Committee on Appropriations :- Committee on Engrossed Bills Warren died on November 24, 1929, in Washington, D.C. His funeral service was held in the United States Senate chamber. At the time of his death, he had served longer than any other U.S. senator.

Legacy

F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming is named after Warren. Additionally, Warren's daughter married then-Captain

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...

in 1905. Several years later, President Theodore Roosevelt promoted Pershing from captain to brigadier general over 900 senior officers. Pershing's wife and three daughters were later killed during a fire at the Presidio in San Francisco. Warren was also the first senator to hire a female staffer and, as appropriations chairman during World War I, he was instrumental in funding the American efforts. Warren and his second wife, Clara LaBarron Morgan, bought the Nagle Warren Mansion in April 1910, and their dining room hosted people such as presidents

Teddy Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

and William Howard Taft. This mansion is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1958, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 American West, Western and Native Americans in the United States, American Indian art works and Artifact (archaeology), ar ...

References

External links

Francis E. Warren Papers
at University of Wyoming - American Heritage Center * AH
Digital Collection Francis E. Warren
* AHC blog
Wyoming Statehood: A load of "blatherskitism"?
Retrieved on 2008-02-01 * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Warren, Francis E. United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Republican Party governors of Wyoming 1844 births 1929 deaths People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War Union Army non-commissioned officers Members of the Wyoming Territorial Legislature 19th-century American politicians Governors of Wyoming Territory Republican Party United States senators from Wyoming American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Massachusetts Republicans People from Hinsdale, Massachusetts Presidents of the National Rifle Association Mayors of Cheyenne, Wyoming Massachusetts militia