Cyrus L. Dunham

Cyrus L. Dunham
Dunham in 1862
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIndiana's2nddistrict
In office 1849–1853
Preceded by	Thomas J. Henley
Succeeded by	William H. English
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's3rddistrict
In office 1853–1855
Preceded by	John L. Robinson
Succeeded by	George G. Dunn
Secretary of State of Indiana
In office 1858–1861
Governor	Ashbel P. Willard Abram A. Hammond
Preceded by	Daniel McClure
Succeeded by	William A. Peele
Personal details
Born	Cyrus Livingston Dunham (1817-01-16)January 16, 1817 Dryden, New York,U.S.
Died	November 21, 1877(1877-11-21)(aged 60)
Political party	Democratic

Cyrus Livingston Dunham(January 16, 1817 – November 21, 1877) was an attorney, soldier, and prominentIndianapolitician, serving most notably as aU.S. RepresentativefromIndianafrom 1849 to 1855.

Biography

Born inDryden, New Yorkin 1817, Dunham attended public schools, and eventually taught school. After earning a law degree and beingadmitted to the Bar,he moved toSalem, Indianain 1841 and began practicing law. Dunham was elected prosecuting attorney ofWashington County, Indianain 1845 and then served as a member of theIndiana State House of Representativesfor one term from 1846 to 1847.

Dunham then successfully ran forCongress,being elected to theThirty-first,Thirty-second,andThirty-thirdCongresses (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1855) as aDemocrat.He served asChairmanof theCommittee on Roads and Canalsduring the Thirty-third Congress. After his time in Congress, he was appointed byGovernorAshbel P. WillardasSecretary of State of Indiana,serving from 1859 to 1860.

During theAmerican Civil War,Dunham served in theUnion ArmyasColonelof the50th Indiana Infantry Regiment.He was commissioned on December 1, 1861, and honorably discharged on November 4, 1863.

Dunham was again elected as a member of the Indiana State House of Representatives for another term from 1864 to 1865. He married Malvina B. Markwell on January 6, 1870. He also lived inJeffersonville, Indianawhile serving as Judge ofClark County, IndianaCriminal Court from 1871 to 1874.

Work as an attorney

As an attorney Cyrus Livingston Dunham defended some of the notoriousReno Gangmembers inBrownstown, Indiana.In addition, he was rumored to have shipped the skulls of two other criminals hung by vigilantes in the same town to New York City.

From an article inThe New York Timesarticle:

Louisville (Kentucky), Tuesday, May 27, 1862:

Col. C.L. DUNHAM, of the Fiftieth Indiana, at Bowling Green, is suspected and criticised by Unionists of Warren, members of his regiment, and the Bedford (Ind.) Press. He is charged with disloyal sympathies, squinting at treason, neglecting his duty, giving up to "pleasurable indulgences," abusing and insulting his men. If he can exculpate himself, well. If not, he'll be cashiered.

References

• The New York TimesArticle1862
• American Civil War Soldiers Database,Provo, Utah, USA
• W.P.A. Book 6, page 557,Marriages in Floyd County, Indiana
• Anarchy in the Heartland,2008, by A. David Distler, page 66
• United States Congress."Cyrus L. Dunham (id: D000540)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.Retrieved on 2009-04-07

External links

• "Cyrus L. Dunham".Find a Grave.Retrieved2009-04-07.
• The Battle at Parker's Crossroads, TennesseeCyrus L Dunham commanding Union Forces.

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