Christian L. Poorman

Christian L. Poorman (October 28, 1825 – unknown) was a United States politician in the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Secretary of State from 1892-1893. He was also a publisher, manufacturer and inventor.

Biography

Christian L. Poorman was born in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania October 28, 1825, the son of Christian and Elizabeth (Longdorf) Poorman. His father died in 1840 from the effects of a wound received in the War of 1812.^[1] He attended the common schools and learned cabinet and chair making trades. He worked at these to afford law school. He entered the Cincinnati Law School in 1853, and graduated in 1855, establishing a large clientage at St. Clairsville, Ohio. Politically, he was a Whig, and became a Republican and strongly supported Abraham Lincoln when he edited the Belmont Chronicle. He continued with the Chronicle until 1870, except when away as a soldier.^[1]

Poorman raised a company, and was commissioned captain of Company D, 43rd Ohio Infantry, December 21, 1861 - August 12, 1862. For gallantry in the field, he was commissioned lieutenant colonel, and assigned to 98th Ohio Infantry, participated in battles in Kentucky and Tennessee, and resigned September 12, 1863.^[1]

After selling the Chronicle in 1870, Poorman manufactured machinery in Bellaire, Ohio. He was issued U.S. Patent 115,099 in 1871.^[2] The Panic of 1873 wiped out his fortune.^[1] The Democrats nominated him for Ohio's 16th Congressional District in 1872, but he lost to Lorenzo Danford.^[3]

In 1878, Poorman established the Bellaire Tribune, and strongly advocated protective tariffs. He was first elected justice of the peace in Belmont County, Ohio, and then elected county auditor for two terms starting in 1859. He was elected and re-elected in 1885 and 1887 to the Ohio House of Representatives, serving 1886-1889 in the 67th and 68th General Assemblies.^[4] In 1892, Daniel J. Ryan resigned as Ohio Secretary of State to take another position, and Governor McKinley appointed Poorman to fill the position. He was not re-nominated for the 1892 election.

On April 6, 1846, Poorman married Martha Ann Ebert.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} The National cyclopaedia of American biography: being the history .... 4. New York: James T White and Company. 1893. pp. 76,77. http://books.google.com/books?id=I-I-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA76&dq=christian+l+poorman+bellaire+ohio. 
2. ^ Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the year 1871. 2. Government Printing Office. 1872. p. 386. http://books.google.com/books?id=hfcWAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA386&dq=Christian+L+Poorman. 
3. ^ Smith, Joseph P, ed (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. p. 306. http://books.google.com/books?id=eaAFAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA306. 
4. ^ Ohio General Assembly (1917). Manual of legislative practice in the General Assembly. State of Ohio. p. 296. http://books.google.com/books?id=7qesAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA296. 

Persondata
Name	Poorman, Christian L.
Alternative names
Short description	Ohio politician and publisher
Date of birth	October 28, 1825
Place of birth	Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania United States
Date of death
Place of death

Ohio House of Representatives
Preceded by Samuel Hilles	Representative from Belmont County 1886-1889 Served alongside: Samuel Hilles Alexander T. McKelvey	Succeeded by Alexander T. McKelvey
Political offices
Preceded by Daniel J. Ryan	Ohio Secretary of State 1892-1893	Succeeded by Samuel McIntire Taylor