History of Aurora, (Dearborn County) Indiana United States of America

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Biographies:

A Biography of William Steele Holman

William Steele Holman, representative, was born in Veraestau, Ind., Sept. 6, 1822; son of Judge Jesse Lynch Holman. He was educated in the common school and for two years at Franklin college, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He was judge of the court of probate, 1843-46; prosecuting attorney, 1847-49; a member of the state constitutional convention of 1850; a representative in the state legislature, 1851; judge of the court of common pleas, 1859-56; a representative in the 36th, 37th and 38th congresses, 1859-65, and was chairman of the committee on Revolutionary claims. He was defeated for the 39th congress, but elected to the 40th and succeeding congresses, inclnding the 44th, 1867-77; was defeated for the 45th and 46th congresses, but elected to the 47th-53d, inclusive, 1881-95; was defeated for the 54th, but was elected to the 55th congress in 1896. He became widely known as "The Watch Dog of the Treasury" and as "The Great Objector." He was in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the civil war, and at its close advocated liberal pensions to the soldiers. He was a persistent and uncompromising enemy to all forms of class legislation, and Vice-President Hendricks estimated his services to the United States government while a representative in congress to be worth $25,000,000 a year. He favored the free coinage of silver and a heavy income tax and was opposed to the issue of bonds in order to keep lap the treasury reserve. He was married in 1842 to Abigail Knapp, and their son, William Steele, Jr., became a lawyer in Aurora and a director of Franklin college. He died in Washington, D.C., April 22, 1897.

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