William Drew Washburn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_D._Washburn

William Drew Washburn (January 14, 1831 – July 29, 1912) was an American politician. He served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate as a Republican from Minnesota. Three of his seven brothers became politicians: Elihu B. Washburne, Cadwallader C. Washburn, and Israel Washburn, Jr. He was also cousin of Dorilus Morrison, the first mayor of Minneapolis. He served in the 46th, 47th, 48th, 51st, 52nd, and 53rd congresses.

Washburn was born in Livermore, Maine. A graduate of Bowdoin College, he first studied law in the office of John A. Peters in Bangor, Maine before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota around 1857.[1] There he practiced law, and worked for the Minneapolis Milling Company (founded by his brother Cadwallader). His business ventures in lumber and flour milling allowed him to amass a large fortune, and by the 1880s, he was among the wealthiest men in Minnesota. Washburn served as the first president from 1883 to 1889 of what was to become Soo Line Railroad.[2] He also founded the Pillsbury-Washburn Milling Company, which later became the Pillsbury Company, and was eventually absorbed by his brother's firm, General Mills.

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Representative and Senator from Minnesota.

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WASHBURN, W. D. Two members of the famous Washburn family have been prominently identified with the growth of Minneapolis, Gov. C. C. Washburn, although a resident of another city and state, had very large and important interests in Minneapolis. The flour milling industry would not present the mammoth proportions it does and has for years but for his investment of money and energy here. It is true of that and many other interestes, which have made Minneapolis great, that they would not have enjoyed such phenommenal growth but for the presence and tireless activity of William D. Washburn, the youngest of the seven sons of that worthy Maine couple. It was in 1856, at the age of twenty-give, that young Washburn located in Minneapolis and continued the practive of law begun at the East. Not finding sufficient scope for his energies, at the end of two years he abandoned regular practive of the profession. For ten years he was the agent of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad in 1869, and more recently the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic, both enterprises of the first magnitude. He has recieved many political honors, served several termms in the State Senate, three in the lower house of Congress, and finally brings up in the Senate. He has won a national reputation, and his fellow-citizens are justly proud of him. Through it all he has never forgotten the interests of his native city, but devoted much time and money to its advancement.

WASHBURN, William Drew was born at Livermore, Androscoggin county, Maine, January 14th, 1831. His parents, Israel and Martha nee Benjamin, were lineal descendants of the old Mayflower stock; the Benjamin family were of Scottish extraction. Until the age of twenty he lived on the farm with his father, and attended school winters; he studied at Gorman Academy, also at South Paris, and finally completed his preparatory studies at Farmington Academy. In 1854 he graduated from Bowdoin College; having taught winters, and worked vacations to defray his expenses; during one of these vacations he was clerk in the house of representatives, under General Cullom. After graduating he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1857; the same year he came to this city, and was appointed agent of the Minneapolis Mill Company, in which he afterward became a partner. In 1861 he was commissioned by President Lincoln, surveyor general of Minnesota, and removed to St. Paul. At the close of his term of office he returned to this city, built a large saw-mill, and has since been actively engaged in the lumber trade. He was the chief mover in projecting the Minneapolis & St. Louis railway, the success of which is largely due to his enterprise; he is president of the company and one of the largest stock owners in the corporation, has also been interested in other railroads. In 1872 he built the finest lumber mill, in the state, at Anoka, and has since built a large flouring mill at the same place. In 1873, he, with others, built the Palisade mill, here; he is also one of the originators and stock- holders of the Minneapolis Harvester Works. Since becoming a resident of Minnesota, he has been an active participant of public enterprises; politically he has always been a republican. November, 1878, he was elected representative of the third congressional district by three thousand majority, and in 1880 re-elected by a majority of twelve thousand. In his religious belief he is a Universalist. He married in 1859, Lizzie Muzzy, of Bangor, Maine, who has born him eight children, two sons and two daughters are living.

As listed in the proceedings and report of the annual meetings of the Minnesota Territorial Pioneers, May 11, 1899 and 1900.

WASHBURN, William Drew was born at Livermore, Me., Jan. 14, 1831. His ancestors were of Puritan stock, settling in Duxbury, Mass., in the early colonial period. He was the youngest member of the large Washburn family which was so prominent for half a century in the affairs of several states, as well as at the national capitol. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1854 and entered the law office of his brother Israel, afterwards studying law with Hon. J. A. Peters at Bangor. He came to Minneapolis May 1, 1857, and opened a law office but did not devote his entire time to his profession. In the fall of 1857 he was appointed secretary and agent of the Minneapolis Mill Company, then building the first dam on the west side of the river, which position he held for several years. In 1861 he was appointed surveyor general of Minnesota by President Lincoln, and the next four years his official duties required his presence at St. Paul. During this time be purchased, in association with others, large amounts of pine lands, and later erected saw mills and carried on for many years an extensive lumber business both at Minneapolis and Anoka. He was also engaged in the manufacture of flour in Minneapolis, and in 1880 built a large flouting mill at Anoka, which he operated until 1889 when the property was transferred to the Pillsbury-Washburn Milling Company, in which he has since been a stockholder and director.

Mr. Washburn was elected to congress in 1878 and re-elected in 1880, and again in 1882, serving six consecutive years. In 1889 he was elected United States Senator for the term of six years. During his term in congress, both in the house and senate, he represented his state faithfully and ably. He was largely instrumental in enlisting men and capital in building the Minneapolis & St. Louis, the Minneapolis & Duluth, and the "Soo" railways, and to his persistence in pushing these roads to completion is the City of Minneapolis indebted for much of its prosperity. His beautiful home at "Fair Oaks" is one of the finest in the Northwest. He was married to Miss Lizzie Muzzy, daughter of Franklin Muzzy of Bangor, Me., April 19, 1859.

William Drew Washburn: Birth: Jan. 14, 1831, Livermore, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA. Death: Jul. 29, 1912, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA.

US Senator. He built his fortune in lumber and flour milling.

Family links:

Parents:

 Israel Washburn (1784 - 1876)

 Martha Benjamin Washburn (1792 - 1861)

Spouse:

 Elizabeth Muzzy Washburn (1836 - 1916)*

Children:

 William Drew Washburn (1863 - 1929)*

Siblings:

 Israel Washburn (1813 - 1883)*

 Algernon Sidney Washburn (1814 - 1879)*

 Elihu Benjamin Washburne (1816 - 1887)*

 Cadwallader Colden Washburn (1818 - 1882)*

 Martha Benjamin Washburn Stephenson (1820 - 1909)*

 Charles Ames Washburn (1822 - 1889)*

 Samuel B. Washburn (1824 - 1890)*

 Mary Benjamin Washburn Buffum (1825 - 1867)*

 William Drew Washburn (1831 - 1912)

 Caroline Washburn Holmes (1833 - 1920)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Lakewood Cemetery Minneapolis Hennepin County Minnesota, USA Plot: Section 2 US Senator. He built his fortune in lumber and flour milling.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 3 2021, 15:31:56 UTC