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Walter Q. Gresham

Walter Q. GreshamAKA Walter Quinton Gresham

Born: 17-Mar-1832
Birthplace: Lanesville, IN
Died: 28-May-1895
Location of death: Washington, DC
Cause of death: unspecified
Remains: Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Occupation: Government
Party Affiliation: Republican

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: US Secretary of State, 1893-95

Military service: Union Army (US Civil War)

American statesman and jurist, born near Lanesville, Harrison county, Indiana, on the 17th of March 1832. He spent two years in an academy at Corydon, Indiana, and one year at the Indiana State University at Bloomington, then studied law, and in 1854 was admitted to the bar. He was active as a campaign speaker for the Republican ticket in 1856, and in 1860 was elected to the State House of Representatives as a Republican in a strong Democratic district. In the House, as chairman of the committee on military affairs, he did much to prepare the Indiana troops for service in the Federal army; in 1861 he became colonel of the 53rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and subsequently took part in Ulysses S. Grant's Tennessee campaign of 1862, and in the operations against Corinth and Vicksburg, where he commanded a brigade. In August 1863 he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, and was placed in command of the Federal forces at Natchez. In 1864 he commanded a division of the 17th Army Corps in William T. Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and before Atlanta, on the 20th of July, he received a wound which forced him to retire from active service, and left him lame for life. In 1865 he was brevetted major-general of volunteers. After the war he practiced law at New Albany, Indiana, and in 1869 was appointed by President Grant United States District Judge for Indiana. In April 1883 he succeeded Timothy 0. Howe (1816-1883) as postmaster-general in President Chester A. Arthur's cabinet, taking an active part in the suppression of the Louisiana Lottery, and in September 1884 succeeded Charles J. Folger as secretary of the treasury. In the following month he resigned to accept an appointment as United States Judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Gresham was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1884 and 1888, in the latter year leading for some time in the balloting. Gradually, however, he grew out of sympathy with the Republican leaders and policy, and in 1892 advocated the election of the Democratic candidate, Grover Cleveland, for the presidency. From the 7th of March 1893 until his death at Washington on the 28th of May 1895, he was secretary of state in President Cleveland's cabinet.

    University: Indiana University Bloomington (one year)

    US Secretary of State 7-Mar-1893 to 28-May-1895 under Grover Cleveland
    US Secretary of the Treasury 5-Sep-1884 to 30-Oct-1884 under Chester A. Arthur
    US Postmaster General 3-Apr-1883 to 14-Oct-1884 under Chester A. Arthur


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