James William Hyatt (September 19, 1837 – March 12, 1893) was Treasurer of the United States from 1887 to 1889. He had previously served as Bank Commissioner for the State of Connecticut, and United States Bank Examiner for Connecticut and Rhode Island. He served as a

Democratic 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 ...

member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1875 and 1876, a member of the Connecticut Senate in 1884, and he was Warden of the Borough of Norwalk from 1877 to 1878, from 1880 to 1882, and from 1885 to 1887.

Biography

James W. Hyatt was born in

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

, the son of James W. Hyatt, and Laura Gray on September 19, 1837. With the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Hyatt joined the

5th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry The 5th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 5th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was organized at Hartford, Connecticut and mustered in for a three-year enli ...

. After the war, he moved to New York City to join Lockwood & Co., a leading banking house that was founded by

LeGrand Lockwood LeGrand Lockwood (1820 – February 24, 1872), was a businessman and financier in New York City in the late 19th century. He built the Lockwood–Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, Connecticut. Biography Lockwood was born in Norwalk. He began his c ...

of Norwalk. In 1873, Hyatt attained control of the majority of stock of the Norwalk Horse Railway Company and returned to Norwalk to work as its Secretary and General Manager. He was president of the company at the time of his death. He also worked as Vice President of the

Danbury and Norwalk Railroad The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, chartered in 1835 as the Fairfield County Railroad, was an independent American railroad that operated between the cities of Danbury and Norwalk, Connecticut from 1852 until its absorption by the Housatonic Rai ...

, and, in 1881, became its president. He represented Norwalk in the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1875 and 1876 as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat (Hyatt had earlier supported the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, but became a Democrat in 1872). In 1876, List of Governors of Connecticut, Governor of Connecticut Charles Roberts Ingersoll appointed Hyatt Bank Commissioner. He was later reappointed by Govs. Richard D. Hubbard, Charles B. Andrews, Hobart B. Bigelow, and Thomas M. Waller. In 1884, he was elected to the Connecticut Senate, but resigned so he could remain Bank Commissioner. In 1886, President of the United States Grover Cleveland appointed Hyatt United States Bank Examiner for Connecticut and Rhode Island. In spring 1887, President Cleveland appointed Hyatt Treasurer of the United States, with Hyatt subsequently holding that office from May 24, 1887, to May 10, 1889. After suffering for several weeks from gout and Bright's disease, Hyatt died at Norwalk on March 12, 1893. Surprising observers, who assumed that Hyatt was rich, Hyatt died a poor man and left virtually no estate for his widow.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyatt, James William 1837 births 1893 deaths Democratic Party Connecticut state senators Mayors of Norwalk, Connecticut People of Connecticut in the American Civil War Democratic Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives Treasurers of the United States Military personnel from Connecticut 19th-century American legislators 19th-century Connecticut politicians