Willard WARNER, Congress, AL (1826-1906)

WARNER, Willard, a Senator from Alabama; born in Granville, Licking County, Ohio, on September 4, 1826; attended a country school near Roseville, Muskingum County, Ohio; graduated from Marietta College, Ohio, in 1845; engaged in mercantile pursuits at Cincinnati in 1852 and later became manager of the Newark (Ohio) Machine Works; served in the Union Army during the Civil War; brevetted brigadier general and major general in 1865; served two years in the Ohio senate; moved to Prattville, Autauga County, Ala., in 1867 and engaged in cotton planting; member, State house of representatives 1868; held several local offices; upon the readmission of the State of Alabama to representation was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served from July 13, 1868, to March 3, 1871; unsuccessful candidate for reelection; collector of customs of the port of Mobile, Ala., 1871-1872; declined the appointment as Governor of New Mexico in 1872 and also that of Minister to Argentina; moved to Tecumseh, Ala., in 1873 and organized the Tecumseh Iron Co., of which he served as general manager; in 1890 moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., where he engaged in banking and was a director in several corporations; member, Tennessee house of representatives 1897-1898; died in Chattanooga, Tenn., November 23, 1906; interment in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.

Bibliography

Ryan, John B., Jr. “Willard Warner and the Rise and Fall of the Iron Industry in Tecumseh, Alabama.” Alabama Review 24 (October 1971): 261-79; Watson, Elbert L. “Willard Warner.” In Alabama United States Senators, pp. 77-79. Huntsville, Ala.: Strode Publishers, 1982.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present