Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography

Thousands of short American lives — soldiers, inventors, preachers, governors, novelists — each given a paragraph: born where, did what, and why anyone remembered.

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Douglas, Stephen A

lawyer, jurist, congressman, United States senator, was born April 23, 1813, in Brandon, Vt.

He was elected attorney-general of Illinois; in 1837 was appointed by President Van Buren register of the land office at Springfield, Ill.; in 1840 was elected secretary of state, and the following year judge of the supreme court.

This office he resigned, in consequence of ill-health, after sitting upon the bench for two years. In 1843 was elected to congress, and continued a member of the lower house for four years. In 1847 he was elected to the United States senate for the term ending in 1853; and was re-elected for the term ending in 1859. He died June 3, 1861, in Chicago, Ill.

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