Thaddeus C. Pound

Thaddeus Coleman Pound (December 6, 1832^{[notes 1]} – November 20^[2] or 21,^[3] 1914) was an American businessman from Wisconsin who served in both houses of the Wisconsin legislature, as the tenth Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, and as a U.S. Representative (1877–1883).^[4] His brother was Albert Pound, who also served in the Wisconsin Assembly.^[5] He was the grandfather of poet Ezra Pound.^[6]

Thaddeus C. Pound
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th district
In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883
Preceded by	George W. Cate
Succeeded by	William T. Price
10th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 3, 1870 – January 1, 1872
Governor	Lucius Fairchild
Preceded by	Wyman Spooner
Succeeded by	Milton H. Pettit
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Chippewa, Dunn district
In office January 1, 1869 – January 1, 1870
Preceded by	Samuel W. Hunt
Succeeded by	Jedediah W. Granger
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire district
In office January 1, 1866 – January 1, 1868
Preceded by	Francis R. Church
Succeeded by	Samuel W. Hunt for Chippewa and Dunn Horace W. Barnes for Eau Claire and Pepin
In office January 1, 1864 – January 1, 1865
Preceded by	William H. Smith
Succeeded by	Francis R. Church
Personal details
Born	Thaddeus Coleman Pound (1832-12-06)December 6, 1832 Elk Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 21, 1914(1914-11-21) (aged 81) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Relatives	Albert Pound (brother) Ezra Pound (grandson)

Life and career

Born in Elk Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, Pound moved with his parents, Judith (Coleman) and Elijah Pound, to Monroe County, New York in 1838 and then to the city of Rochester, New York, afterwards moving to what is now Rock County, Wisconsin.^{[citation needed]} He became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate. Pound was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin serving under Governor Lucius Fairchild from January 3, 1870 until January 1, 1872.

In 1876, Pound was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fifth Congress, replacing Democrat George W. Cate in representing Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. He was reelected to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883), and was succeeded in the 48th Congress by fellow Republican William T. Price.

Share of the Saint Paul Eastern Grand Trunk Railway Company, issued 30 December 1883, signed by President Pound

During his time as a representative, Pound was a prominent businessman in Wisconsin. He was president of the Chippewa Falls and Western Railway and the St. Paul Eastern Grand Trunk Railway (both predecessors of the Soo Line Railroad). He also served as president of the Chippewa Spring Water Company (a company still in business as of 2008) as well as the Union Lumber Company, which was reorganized as the Chippewa Falls Lumber and Boom Company in 1879.^[3]

Death and legacy

Pound died in Chicago, Illinois on November 20^[2] or 21,^[3] 1914, aged 81. The village of Pound, Wisconsin, is named in his honor.^[3]

Notes

1. His birthdate, which is actually in 1832, is often given as 1833 (probably as a result of subtracting his age from his death date, when he was born in December, resulting in error) but 1832 is correct, as confirmed by his death certificate.^[1]