Preceded by John Scott Harrison Name William Groesbeck Resigned March 3, 1859 Children five Succeeded by John A. Gurley | Spouse(s) Elizabeth Burnet Party Democratic Party Political party Democratic Role U.S. representative | |
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Preceded by Thomas W. Key
George W. Holmes
E. A. Ferguson Full Name William Slocum Groesbeck Born July 24, 1815
Kinderhook, New York ( 1815-07-24 ) Alma mater Augusta College (Kentucky)
Miami University Died July 7, 1897, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States Education Miami University, Augusta College | ||
Resting place Spring Grove Cemetery | ||
William Slocum Groesbeck (July 24, 1815 – July 7, 1897) was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.
Life and career
Born in Kinderhook, New York, Groesbeck moved with his parents to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1816. His parents were John H. Groesbeck and Mary Slocum Groesbeck. The Groesbeck family was originally from Amsterdam. He attended the common schools and Augusta College (Kentucky). He was graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1835 and was responsible for founding the Miami University chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, the first fraternity chapter west of the Allegheny Mountains. He studied law and was a law clerk in the office of Salmon P. Chase. He was admitted to the bar in 1836 and commenced practice in Cincinnati, Ohio. He served as member of the State constitutional convention in 1851. He served as commissioner to codify the laws of Ohio in 1852.
Groesbeck was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1858 to the Thirty-sixth Congress. He served as member of the Peace Convention of 1861 held in Washington, D.C., in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending war. He served in the State senate 1862-1864. He served as delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia in 1866. He was one of President Andrew Johnson's counsel in his impeachment trial in 1868. In 1872 he was nominated for president of the United States by Liberal Republicans who were displeased with Horace Greeley, but his ticket was forgotten during the excitement of the campaign, at the end of which he received one electoral vote for vice-president. He served as delegate to the International Monetary Conference in Paris, France, in 1878. He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 7, 1897. He was interred in Spring Grove Cemetery.
Groesbeck married Elizabeth Burnet, daughter of Judge Jacob Burnet. She died April 6, 1889, leaving five children.