Charles B. Hoard

Charles B. Hoard
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's23rddistrict
In office March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861
Preceded by	William A. Gilbert
Succeeded by	Ambrose W. Clark
Personal details
Born	Charles Brooks Hoard (1805-06-05)June 5, 1805 Springfield, Vermont,U.S.
Died	November 20, 1886(1886-11-20)(aged 81) Ceredo, West Virginia,U.S.
Resting place	Spring Hill Cemetery
Political party	Republican

Charles Brooks Hoard(June 5, 1805 – November 20, 1886) was aU.S. Representativefrom New York.

Biography

Born inSpringfield, Vermont,Hoard attended the public schools. He moved toAntwerp, New York,where he trained as a clerk, watch repairer, and mechanic. He was Antwerp'spostmasterin the 1830s.

Hoard subsequently established a partnership with Gilbert Bradford, and the firm of Hoard & Bradford became successful as the manufacturer of portable steam engines to operate printing presses and other machines.

Hoard was a member of theNew York State Assembly(Jefferson Co.) in1838.

He moved toWatertown, New York,in January 1844. He served as Clerk ofJefferson Countyfrom 1844 to 1846.

Originally aDemocratidentified with theFree SoilandBarnburnermovements, Hoard's anti-slavery views led him to become aRepublicanwhen that party was founded.

Hoard was elected as a Republican to theThirty-fifthandThirty-sixthCongresses (March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861).

During theCivil Warhe engaged in the manufacture of rifles for theUnion.Disputes with theWar Departmentover fulfillment of the contract caused Hoard a financial loss.

Eli Thayer,the founder ofCeredo, West Virginia,had originally established the community as a model town in an effort to show southerners that a community could function without slavery. Thayer had borrowed from Hoard to finance the creation of the town.

In the late 1860s Hoard spent time traveling in the western and southern states to inspect his business concerns. In 1870 he relocated to Ceredo. His efforts to improve the town and repair his fortunes proved successful, with Hoard leading expansion of Ceredo's timber industry, including the building of a sawmill and the construction of roads and railroads.

He died in Ceredo on November 20, 1886. He was interred in Spring Hill Cemetery,Huntington, West Virginia.

Sources

• United States Congress."Charles B. Hoard (id: H000658)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• John A. Haddock,The Growth of a Century: as Illustrated in the History of Jefferson County, New York,1894, pages 43–47

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress