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Harding, Benjamin F

lawyer, congressman, United States senator, was born Jan. 4, 1823, in Wyoming county, Pa. In 1849 he settled in Oregon; and in 1850 was chosen a member of the legislative assembly. In 1852 he was chosen a member of the legislature and made speaker. In 1853 he was appointed United States district attorney for the territory of Oregon; and in 1854 was appointed secretary of the territory, which office he held until Oregon was admitted as a state.

From 1859 to 1862 he was a member of the state legislature, serving the last two years as speaker. In 1862 he was elected a senator in congress from Oregon; and took his seat during the third session of the thirty-seventh congress.