Walter Atwood Burleigh (October 25, 1820 – March 7, 1896) was an American physician, lawyer, and pioneer. He represented the

Dakota Territory 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 ...

as a non-voting delegate to the

United States House of Representatives 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

Biography

Walter was born in

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census the populatio ...

on October 25, 1820. He served in the

Aroostook War The Aroostook War (sometimes called the Pork and Beans WarLe Duc, Thomas (1947). The Maine Frontier and the Northeastern Boundary Controversy. ''The American Historical Review'' Vol. 53, No. 1 (Oct., 1947), pp. 30–41), or the Madawaska War, wa ...

in 1839, studied medicine in

Burlington, Vermont Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...

and

Manhattan, New York City Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the List of co ...

, and began his practice in

Richmond, Maine Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,522 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area, situated at the head of Merrymeetin ...

. In 1852 he moved to

Kittanning, Pennsylvania Kittanning ( pronounced ) is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in, and the county seat of, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Armstrong County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Al ...

. Then, around 1861, he became an

Indian agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the government. Background The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the United States first included development of t ...

at Greenwood, Dakota Territory (in what is now the Yankton Sioux Reservation in

Charles Mix County Charles Mix County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 9,373. Its county seat is Lake Andes. The county was created in 1862 and organized in 1879. It was named for Charles Eli ...

, South Dakota). Some

Yankton Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

Indians complained bitterly of mistreatment by Burleigh. The testimony of Strike the Ree and Medicine Cow to a Special Joint Committee on the Condition of the Indian Tribes in 1865 suggests that Burleigh was self-serving and corrupt in his dealings with the Indians. Burleigh 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 House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1868. On March 31, 1868, Burleigh

testified In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. La ...

in the impeachment trial of President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

, having been called as a

witness In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

by the prosecution. Burleigh was a member of the Dakota Territorial council in 1877, then worked as a contractor and in farming, and moved to

Miles City, Montana Miles City ( chy, Ma'xemâhoévé'ho'eno) is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2020 census. History After the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, the U.S. Army created fo ...

1879, where he practiced law. He served as a member of the special session of the

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

Territorial council in 1887 and as a delegate to the convention that framed the constitution of

in 1889. He was a member of the first State House of Representatives, and served as prosecuting attorney of Custer County. Burleigh returned to

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

in 1893, resumed the practice of law, and served in the

South Dakota State Senate The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Composition :''92nd Legislature (2019)'' Officers Li ...

. He died in Yankton,

Yankton County, South Dakota Yankton County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 23,310. Its county seat is Yankton, South Dakota, Yankton. Yankton County comprises the Yankton, SD Mi ...

, and is buried in the Yankton Cemetery. Burleigh County, North Dakota is named for him.

References

External links

* ''Report of the Special Joint Committee on the Condition of the Indian Tribes'', 39th Congress, 2nd Session (1866–67), Senate Report No. 156, Serial 1279: 368–70. uoted in Colin G. Calloway, ed., ''Our Hearts Fell to the Ground: Plains Indian Views of How the West Was Lost'' (Boston: Bedford, 1996), 97–100. {{DEFAULTSORT:Burleigh, Walter A. 1820 births 1896 deaths Members of the Dakota Territorial Legislature Members of the Montana Territorial Legislature Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Dakota Territory Burleigh County, North Dakota People from Waterville, Maine Montana lawyers Members of the Montana House of Representatives South Dakota state senators United States Indian agents Aroostook War People from Richmond, Maine Maine lawyers American military personnel of the Indian Wars North Dakota Republicans South Dakota Republicans Montana Republicans 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American lawyers Testifying witnesses of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson