History of Prairie du Rocher, (Randolph County) Illinois United States of America

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Henry Clay Hansbrough, senator, was born in Prairie du Rocher, Ill., Jan. 30, 1848; son of Eliab and Sarah (Hagen) Hansbrough, grandson of William H. and Elizabeth (Miller) Hansbrough of Virginia, and a descendant of John Hansbrough who came from England and settled in Virginia in 1640. His parents removed to Illinois from Kentucky in 1846, and he was brought up on his father's farm. The advent of the civil war closed the school in which he was preparing for college, and in 1866 he removed with his parents to California. He learned the trade of printer in the office of the San Jose Mercury, and in 1869 was a partner in publishing a daily paper in San Jose. He removed to San Francisco and was employed on the Chronicle, 1870-72, in the printing department; as telegraph editor and then as assistant managing editor, 1872-79; engaged in journalism in Wisconsin, 1880, and in 1882 went to Dakota Territory, where he continued in active newspaper work until he entered the field of politics in 1888. He was the first representative from North Dakota in the 51st congress, 1889-91; a delegate to the Republican national convention of 1888, and national committeeman from North Dakota, 1888-96. He was elected U.S. senator, Jan. 23, 1891, took his seat in the senate at the close of his term as a representative, March 4, 1891, and was re-elected, Jan. 20, 1897, for the term expiring March 3, 1903. His first wife, Josephine, daughter of James Orr of Newburgh, N.Y., died in January, 1895. He was married again in 1897 to Mary Berri Chapman of Washington, D.C.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Prairie du Rocher, (Randolph County) Illinois

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