Benjamin Stark

Infobox Senator
name= Benjamin Stark

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imagesize= 160px
office= United States Senator from Oregon
party= Democratic Party
term= October 29 1861 – September 12 1862
preceded= Edward Dickinson Baker
succeeded= Benjamin F. Harding
date of birth= June 26 1820
place of birth= New Orleans, Louisiana
date of death= death date and age|1898|10|10|1820|06|26
place of death= New London, Connecticut
spouse=
profession= attorney, merchant
religion=
footnotes=

Benjamin Stark (June 26 1820 – October 10, 1898) was an American merchant and politician in Oregon. A native of Louisiana, he served in the Oregon House of Representatives before appointment to the United States Senate in 1860 after the death of Edward D. Baker. A Democrat, Stark served in the Senate from 1861 to 1862.

Early life

Benjamin Stark was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from Union School (New London, Connecticut) and Hebron Academy. From 1835 to 1848 he studied law in New York City. He engaged in mercantile pursuits in New York and then San Francisco.

Oregon

Stark left San Francisco to set up shop in Portland, Oregon. He was admitted to the bar in 1850 and became a member of the Oregon territorial house of representatives. He was a colonel and served in the 1853 hostilities between settlers and Native Americans. He was elected again to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1860. He was appointed by John Whiteaker to serve in the United States Senate after the death of the current senator, Edward D. Baker. Stark served from October 29, 1861 to September 12, 1862 when his successor Benjamin F. Harding was elected. He did not run for reelection.

Later years and legacy

He resumed his practice of law, also becoming a member of the board of aldermen of New London (1873-1874) and Connecticut State House of Representatives in 1874, as well as the Connecticut State Prison Commission. He died in New London, Connecticut on October 10, 1898 and is interned in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

The Clyde Hotel was renamed Ben Stark Hotel in 1987, but became the Ace Hotel in 2005.cite web | title = Portland's new concept hotel to accommodate unconventional travelers | publisher = Daily Journal of Commerce | url = http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-oregon/1056972-1.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-11-12 ]

References

External links

* [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000809 Bioguide entry]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7105732 Find a grave entry]