Beriah Wilkins

Summary

Beriah Wilkins (July 10, 1846 – June 7, 1905) was an American politician and Civil War veteran who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1883 to 1889.

Beriah Wilkins
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio
In office
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889
Preceded byJoseph D. Taylor
Succeeded byJames W. Owens
Constituency15th district (1883-1885)
16th district (1885-1887)
15th district (1887-1889)
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 18th district
In office
January 5, 1880 – January 1, 1882
Preceded byJohn C. Fisher
Succeeded byAlbert J. Pearson
Personal details
Born(1846-07-10)July 10, 1846
Union County, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJune 7, 1905(1905-06-07) (aged 58)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting placeRock Creek Cemetery
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
OccupationNewspaper publisher
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnion Army
Years of service1864
Rankprivate
Unit136th Ohio Infantry

Biography edit

Born near Richwood, Ohio, Wilkins attended the common schools of Marysville, Ohio. During the American Civil War, he enlisted as a private in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, May 2, 1864, and served until honorably discharged August 31, 1864. He then engaged in banking in Uhrichsville, Ohio. He was a member of the Ohio Senate in 1880 and 1881 and served as member of the Democratic State central committee in 1882.

Congress edit

Wilkins was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-eighth, Forty-ninth, and Fiftieth Congresses (March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889). He served as chairman of the Committee on Banking and Currency (Fiftieth Congress).

Later career and death edit

After his congressional service, Wilkins settled in Washington, D.C. He became majority owner and publisher of The Washington Post in 1889, and later, in 1894, acquired the entire stock ownership of the paper, serving as editor until his death in Washington, D.C., June 7, 1905. He is interred in Rock Creek Cemetery.

References edit

  • United States Congress. "Beriah Wilkins (id: W000474)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-03-26

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by United States Representative from Ohio's 16th congressional district
1883–1885
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Representative from Ohio's 15th congressional district
1885–1887
Succeeded by
Preceded by
George W. Geddes
United States Representative from Ohio's 16th congressional district
1887–1889
Succeeded by