Napoleon Bonaparte Giddings (January 2, 1816 – August 3, 1897) was a United States Congressional Delegate from the Nebraska Territory. In addition to his political career, Giddings was a captain in the U.S. Army, a political appointee in the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

, an editor of a small town newspaper in Missouri, a 49er in the

California Gold Rush The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...

and a lawyer in Nebraska. After his political career he served as a colonel in the Union Army during the United States Civil War.

Biography

Napoleon Bonaparte Giddings was born near

Boonesborough, Kentucky Boonesborough is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. Founded by famed frontiersman Daniel Boone in 1778 as one of the first English-speaking settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains, Boonesborough lies in ...

to George and Frances Tandy (Bush) Giddings on January 2, 1816. Giddings moved with his parents to

Fayette, Missouri Fayette is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 2,803 at the 2020 census. History Fayette was laid out in 1823. The ...

in 1828. He enlisted in the army during the Texas War of Independence and became sergeant major of his regiment. When Texas gained independence he was appointed chief clerk in the auditor's office of the

. After serving as acting auditor until his resignation in 1838, Giddings returned to Fayette and studied law. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1841 and commenced practice in Fayette. There he was married to Armide Boone, daughter of Rev. Hampton Lynch and Maria Louisa (Roberts) Boone, and a great niece of frontiersman Daniel Boone on November 15, 1842. In the U.S.-Mexican War Giddings was commissioned as captain of Company A, Second Regiment, Missouri Mounted Volunteers, and served until March 1847. He edited the ''Union Flag'' newspaper in

Franklin County, Missouri Franklin County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 104,682. Its county seat is Union. The county was organized in 1818 and is named after Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. Franklin County is part ...

afterwards, and eventually went to California to engage in gold mining. At some point after that he returned to Missouri, settled in

Savannah, Missouri Savannah is a city and county seat of Andrew County, Missouri, United States. The population was 5,069 at the 2020 census. History Savannah was founded in 1841. The city was named after Savannah Woods, the child of a first settler. A post offic ...

and practiced law. In the early 1850s Giddings moved to

Nebraska City Nebraska City is a city in Nebraska, and the county seat of, Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,289. The Nebraska State Legislature has credited Nebraska City as being the oldest incorporated ...

and continued the practice of law. When the Territory of Nebraska was formed in 1854 he was elected as a

Democrat 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 ...

to the

Thirty-third United States Congress The 33rd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1853, ...

and served from January 5 to March 3, 1855. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1854. Giddings resumed his law practice in Savannah shortly thereafter, and was commissioned a lieutenant colonel of the Fifty-first Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry during the United States Civil War. He served from April 11, 1865, to August 31, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. Giddings died in Savannah on August 3, 1897 and was interred in the City Cemetery there.

References

*Giddings, R. & Giddings, B. (1998). ''The Giddings in North America'', Parkview Publishing Co. {{DEFAULTSORT:Giddings, Napoleon Bonaparte 1816 births 1897 deaths 19th-century American politicians American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska Territory Nebraska Democrats People from Fayette, Missouri People from Madison County, Kentucky People from Savannah, Missouri People of Missouri in the American Civil War People of the California Gold Rush People of the Texas Revolution Union Army officers