Senator Elden J. Hartshorn View All Years

ELDON J. HARTSHORN was born at Lunenburg, Vermont, June 16, 1842, and died in Kensington, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D. C., January 16, 1926. The following day Mrs. Hartshorn, who was Ella P. Bennett of Lima, New York, before her marriage, suffered a stroke of paralysis and died in a few hours. Their double funeral was held on January 19, and they were buried with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington. Mr. Hartshorn enlisted in Company E, Fifteenth Regiment Vermont Infantry, in August, 1862, was made orderly sergeant, was promoted to second lieutenant, and was mustered out in 1863. He then enlisted in Company G, Seventeenth Regiment Vermont Infantry, was made captain and served as such until mustered out in July, 1865. Returning home he entered the law office of his old colonel, Redfield Proctor, of the Fifteenth Regiment, and was admitted to the bar in 1869. In 1870 he removed to Emmetsburg, Iowa, and engaged in the practice of law with George B. McCarty. In 1873 he was elected representative and served in the Fifteenth General Assembly. In 1875 he was elected senator, and was re-elected in 1879, serving in the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth general assemblies. In 1885 he was elected county treasurer of Palo Alto County and was re-elected in 1887, serving four years. While county treasurer he was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the State Hospital for Insane at Clarinda. During the sessions of the Fifty-first Congress, 1890-1892, he was at Washington acting as treasurer of the sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives. He followed that by some service in the General Land office, but in 1894 returned to Emmetsburg. That year he was elected clerk of the District Court of Palo Alto County and was re-elected in 1896, serving four years. In 1898 he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for auditor of state, but lost to Frank F. Merriam. Soon thereafter he returned to Washington and obtained a position as an assistant attorney in the office of the solicitor of the Department of the Interior, retaining it until his death. He was a man of fine character and of winning personality.