Ozora Pierson Stearns (January 15, 1831June 2, 1896) was an
American politician
The politics of the United States function within a framework of a constitutional federal republic and presidential system, with three distinct branches that share powers. These are: the U.S. Congress which forms the legislative branch, a bi ...
and attorney. A member of the
Republican Party, he served as a US Senator from the state of Minnesota. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served as mayor of
Rochester, Minnesota and county attorney of
Olmsted County. He was a
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
.
Early years
Stearns was born January 15, 1831, in
De Kalb, New York. He was the tenth of eleven children. In 1833, the Stearns family moved to
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, Ohio.
Education
Stearn attended
Oberlin College, graduated from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in 1858, and from the law department of that university in 1860. He was admitted to the
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
in 1860 and commenced practice in
Rochester, Minnesota.
Career
Stearns was elected prosecuting attorney of
Olmsted County, Minnesota
Olmsted County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population is 162,847. Its county seat and most populous city is Rochester.
Olmsted County is part of the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
...
in 1861, formed a law partnership with
Charles M. Start in 1863, and served as mayor of Rochester from 1866 to 1868.
He served in the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
during 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 ...
as a first lieutenant in the
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was a Minnesota USV infantry regiment that served in the Union Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.
Service
The 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment was organized into service at Camp Release ...
and later as
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
of the
39th United States Colored Infantry
The 39th United States Colored Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was composed of African American enlisted men commanded by white officers and was authorized by the Bureau o ...
. He led the latter regiment at the
Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864.
Stearns 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
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
from Minnesota on January 18, 1871, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Daniel S. Norton
Daniel Sheldon Norton (April 12, 1829July 13, 1870) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the Minnesota State Senate and as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota.
Life and career
Norton was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio to Daniel Sheldon and ...
. He served in the
41st Congress
The 41st 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, 1869, ...
from January 23, 1871 to March 3, 1871.
In 1872, Stearns moved to
Duluth
, settlement_type = City
, nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City
, motto =
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...
and formed a law partnership with J. D. Ensign (future mayor of Duluth). Governor
Cushman Kellogg Davis
Cushman Kellogg Davis (June 16, 1838November 27, 1900) was an American Republican politician who served as the seventh Governor of Minnesota and as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota.
Early life and American Civil War
Davis was born in Henderson, Ne ...
appointed Stearns as a judge of the eleventh judicial district of Minnesota in 1874. He was re-elected three times, serving until 1895. According to Stearns, when he began as a judge, "there was not a court-house in the district. We held court where we could— in churches, in stores, school-houses, and sometimes in places not quite so respected."
[ Alternate link a]
Stearns also served as a regent of the
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
(1890–1895), president and treasurer of the Lakeside Land company, director in the West Duluth Land company, the Duluth Electric Light and Power company, the
Masonic
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
Temple association, the Duluth Building and Loan association and the Duluth Union National bank.
Personal life
Stearns married
Sarah Burger Stearns, the first president of the
Minnesota Woman Suffrage Association. In 1891, he suffered a stroke, and they moved to California in 1894 because of his failing health.
He died in
Pacific Beach, California on June 2, 1896. His remains were cremated in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and the ashes interred in Forest Hill Cemetery,
Duluth, Minnesota
, settlement_type = City
, nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City
, motto =
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...
.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stearns, Ozora Pierson
1831 births
1896 deaths
Mayors of Rochester, Minnesota
Minnesota state court judges
People of Minnesota in the American Civil War
Minnesota Republicans
Union Army colonels
Republican Party United States senators from Minnesota
University of Michigan Law School alumni
People from De Kalb, New York
University of Michigan alumni
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American judges