Joel Funk Asper (April 20, 1822 – October 1, 1872) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

Early life and education

Born in

Adams County, Pennsylvania Adams County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,852. Its county seat is Gettysburg. The county was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County, and was named for the secon ...

, Asper moved to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Trumbull County in 1827. He attended the public schools and the local college in

Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The hi ...

. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1844 and commenced practice in

Early career

He served as a Justice of the Peace in 1846. He served as prosecuting attorney of Geauga County in 1847. Asper served as a delegate to the Buffalo Free-Soil Convention in 1848. He was editor of the ''Western Reserve Chronicle'' in 1849. He moved to

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

in 1850 and published the ''Chardon Democrat''.

Civil War service

Asper raised a company for the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

in 1861 and served as its captain. He was wounded in the Battle of Winchester. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1862. He mustered out of the service in 1863, because of wounds received in action. He became the Colonel of the 171st Ohio (a One Hundred Day Regiment) in May 1864 to August 1864. He served at the Prisoner of War Camp at Johnson's Island, Ohio. He was forced to surrender to John Hunt Morgan seven of the regiment's companies at Keller's Bridge, Kentucky on June 12, 1864. The units were illegally paroled. Asper and the regiment returned to Johnson's Island. He mustered out at end of term of service.

Other pursuits

He moved to

Chillicothe, Missouri Chillicothe is a city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Livingston County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee for "big town", and was named after their ''Chillico ...

, in 1864 and resumed the practice of law. He founded the ''Spectator'' in 1866. He served as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1868.

Congress

Asper was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the Forty-first Congress (March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1870.

Death and legacy

Asper practiced law until his death. He died in

on October 1, 1872. He was interred in Edgewood Cemetery.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Asper, Joel Funk 1822 births 1872 deaths People from Adams County, Pennsylvania Union Army colonels Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri 19th-century American politicians People from Warren, Ohio People from Chillicothe, Missouri Military personnel from Pennsylvania