Hugh Anderson Dinsmore (December 24, 1850 – May 2, 1930) was an American lawyer and politician who served six terms as and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas from 1893 to 1905.

Hugh Anderson Dinsmore
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1905
Preceded byThomas C. McRae
Succeeded byJohn C. Floyd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 5th district
In office
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903
Preceded bySamuel W. Peel
Succeeded byCharles C. Reid
United States Consul General to Korea
In office
April 13, 1887 – May 26, 1890
PresidentGrover Cleveland
Benjamin Harrison
Preceded byWilliam Harwar Parker
Succeeded byAugustine Heard
Personal details
BornDecember 24, 1850 (1850-12-24)
Cave Springs, Arkansas
DiedMay 2, 1930 (1930-05-03) (aged 79)
St. Louis, Missouri
CitizenshipUnited States
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseElizabeth Le Grand Fisher Dinsmore
ChildrenHamilton A. Dinsmore
Signature

He was a vocal opponent of the Annexation of Hawaii.

Biography

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Born at Cave Springs, Arkansas, Dinsmore was the son of Alexander Winchester and Catherine Anderson Dinsmore. He attended private schools in Benton and Washington Counties. He married Elizabeth Le Grand Fisher of St. Louis, Missouri, on May 25, 1883. They had one son, Hamilton; and though Elizabeth died on June 19, 1886, he never remarried.[1]

Early career

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Dinsmore worked as a store clerk and later a traveling salesman for a St. Louis firm. Deciding to become a lawyer, he persuaded Samuel N. Elliott of Bentonville to proctor him. In 1872 Governor Elisha Baxter appointed him the eleventh Benton County Circuit Court clerk. He resigned in 1874, when he was admitted to the bar, and the following year, he moved to Fayetteville, where he entered into a law partnership with David Walker. In 1878, he was elected prosecuting attorney for the Fourth Judicial District, and served until 1884.

Political career

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In January 1887, Dinsmore was appointed by President Cleveland as Minister Resident and consul general to the Kingdom of Korea and served until May 25, 1890. Because of his acquaintance with Korea and Korean matters, he was sought out by a young Syngman Rhee in January 1905, while he was on his diplomatic mission United States to secure aid for Korea against Japanese annexation. Dinsmore succeeded in getting Rhee a brief meeting with Secretary of State John Hay, but Rhee's mission would ultimately end in failure.[2]

Congress

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After he resumed the practice of law in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Dinsmore was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-third and to the five succeeding Congresses. He served from March 4, 1893 to March 3, 1905.[3][4] He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1904 to the Fifty-ninth Congress.

 
 
Young Hugh Anderson Dinsmore

Later career

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He resumed the practice of law in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and in later years devoted most of his time to the management of his farming interests. He served as member of the board of trustees of the University of Arkansas.[5]

Death

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Dinsmore died in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 2, 1930 (age 79 years, 129 days). He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Fayetteville, Arkansas.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Hugh A. Dinsmore". The Central Arkansas Library System.
  2. ^ 유, 영익 (1996). 이승만의 삶과 꿈 (The Life and Dream of Syngman Rhee). Seoul, South Korea: Joong Ang Ilbo. p. 40.
  3. ^ "Hugh A. Dinsmore". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  4. ^ "S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903". GovInfo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. November 9, 1903. p. 5. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Hugh A. Dinsmore". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  6. ^ "Hugh A. Dinsmore". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Resident Minister to the Kingdom of Korea
1887 – 1890
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 5th congressional district

1893 – 1903
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district

1903 – 1905
Succeeded by