William Horace Clagett (September 21, 1838 – August 3, 1901) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from various places in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. He was the uncle of
Samuel B. Pettengill.
Born in
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, officially the Town of Upper Marlboro, is the seat of Prince George's County, Maryland. Aso of the 2020 census, the population was 652. although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger.
Etymology
Upper Marlboro was establ ...
, Clagett moved to
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in and a county seat of Lee County, Iowa, United States, along with Fort Madison. It is Iowa's southernmost city. The population was 9,900 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is named after the Sauk chief Keokuk, who is ...
with his father in 1850 where he attended the public schools as a child. He studied law in Keokuk and at a law school in
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York C ...
and was admitted to the bar in 1858, commencing practice in Keokuk. He moved to
Carson City, Nevada in 1861 and to
Humboldt, Nevada in 1862 where he commenced practicing law. Clagett was a member of the
Nevada Territorial House of Representatives in 1862 and 1863, was a member of the
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada, the upper house being the Nevada Senate. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member district ...
in 1864 and 1865 and practiced law in
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno– Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Virginia City developed as a boom ...
,
Helena, Montana and
Deer Lodge, Montana
Deer Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,938 at the 2020 census.
Description
The city is perhaps best known as the home of the Montana State Prison, a major local employer. ...
. He was elected 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 ...
from the
Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana.
Original boundaries
...
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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
in 1870, serving from 1871 to 1873, being unsuccessful for reelection in 1872.
On December 18, 1871, at the urging of
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden (September 7, 1829 – December 22, 1887) was an American geologist noted for his pioneering surveying expeditions of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century. He was also a physician who served with the Union Ar ...
and after learning of the findings of the
Hayden Geological Survey of 1871
The Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that later became Yellowstone National Park in 1872. It was led by geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden. The 1871 survey was not Hayden's first, but it was the first ...
, Clagett introduced the ''Act of Dedication'' bill into the House that ultimately led to the creation of
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowst ...
.
Clagett Butte in Yellowstone is named for his honor.
Afterwards leaving Congress, Clagett resumed practicing law in
Deer Lodge, Montana
Deer Lodge is a city in and the county seat of Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,938 at the 2020 census.
Description
The city is perhaps best known as the home of the Montana State Prison, a major local employer. ...
,
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Deadwood, Dakota,
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
and
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene ( ; french: Cœur d'Alène, lit=Heart of an Awl ) is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the largest city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistica ...
. He was president of the
Idaho constitutional convention in 1889 and was an unsuccessful candidate for 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
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
in 1891 and 1895. He moved to
Spokane, Washington
Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Cana ...
and resumed practicing law until his death there on August 3, 1901. Clagett was interred in Greenwood Cemetery in Spokane.
Notes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clagett, William H.
1838 births
1901 deaths
Albany Law School alumni
Members of the Nevada Territorial Legislature
Republican Party members of the Nevada Assembly
Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Montana Territory
Iowa lawyers
Nevada lawyers
Montana lawyers
Idaho lawyers
Washington (state) lawyers
Politicians from Albany, New York
Politicians from Carson City, Nevada
Lawyers from Portland, Oregon
People from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Politicians from Spokane, Washington
People from Upper Marlboro, Maryland
People from Deadwood, South Dakota
Politicians from Helena, Montana
Politicians from Denver
Montana Republicans
Idaho Republicans
Colorado Republicans
Oregon Republicans
19th-century American politicians
Lawyers from Spokane, Washington
Lawyers from Albany, New York