David Armstrong
David Hartley Armstrong was a Canadian-born educator and politician, born on October 21, 1812, in Nova Scotia. He pursued his education in the United States, attending Maine Wesleyan Seminary, and began his career as a schoolteacher in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1837, he relocated to Missouri, where he held various teaching positions, including principal of a public school in Benton until 1847. Armstrong then transitioned into politics, serving as comptroller of St. Louis and later as postmaster until 1858. His political career continued with a brief role on the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners and as a contributor to the city's charter. In 1877, he was appointed to fill a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate, serving until 1879. After retiring from public service, Armstrong lived in St. Louis until his death on March 18, 1893, at the age of eighty. He is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.
David Armstrong
Politician
- Born: October 21, 1812
- Birthplace: Nova Scotia, Canada
- Died: March 18, 1893
- Place of death: St. Louis, Missouri
Contribution: David Armstrong was a Canadian American educator, politician, and senator. After decades of public service, Armstrong served as a US senator from 1877 to 1879. Representing the state of Missouri, Armstrong was a member of the Democratic Party.
Early Life and Career
David Hartley Armstrong was born October 21, 1812, in Nova Scotia, Canada. As a young man, he traveled to the United States to attend Maine Wesleyan Seminary in Kents Hill, Maine. Armstrong was drawn to education, and considered becoming a schoolteacher. After graduation, he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. There, he took a teaching position that he held from 1833 to 1837.
In 1837, Armstrong moved to Missouri, settling for a short period in St. Louis. After that, Armstrong accepted a teaching job at McKendree University, a Methodist institution that—upon its founding in 1828—was the first college in Illinois. Armstrong did not stay in Illinois for long. He returned to Benton, Missouri, and accepted the position of principal of the local public school in 1838, where he worked until 1847.
Move into Politics
After more than a decade as an educator, Armstrong was compelled toward another form of public service: politics. In 1847, he was elected comptroller of St. Louis, a position that required him to supervise the accounting and financial status of the city. He held this position until 1850. Four years later, still in St. Louis, Armstrong was elected postmaster, an office he held until 1858.
Armstrong’s next career move was a brief stint in law enforcement. In 1873, he served as a member of the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners. This appointment ended in 1876, when Armstrong took another important political step. That year, he joined a group of freeholders—land-owning voters—to frame the city charter for St. Louis.
Appointment to the US Senate
When Missouri Senator Lewis V. Bogy died during a recess of Congress, his seat in the US Senate was left vacant. John S. Phelps, the governor of Missouri, was called upon to find a temporary replacement to fill Bogy’s unexpired term in office. Phelps selected David Armstrong on his reputation as a dedicated public servant.
On September 29, 1877, Governor Phelps appointed Armstrong senator. On October 15, 1877, Armstrong was presented to the Senate. The vice president performed the oaths, and Armstrong took the seat vacated by Bogy. Armstrong’s service as a senator was generally uneventful.
Armstrong’s term in office expired January 22, 1879. He did not run for reelection to the post that year, and a successor, James Shields, was elected. Armstrong left the Senate on January 26, 1879, after approximately one and a half years of service.
Later Life and Death
Armstrong retired from public service but remained in St. Louis. On March 18, 1893, at the age of eighty, Armstrong died at the Richelieu Hotel. He was interred at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.
Bibliography
American Biographical Publishing Company. The Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Representative Men of Chicago, St. Louis and the World’s Columbian Exposition. Madison: American Biographical Publishing Company, 1893. 473. Print.
“Armstrong, David Hartley.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress Office of the Historian, n.d. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.
“David H. Armstrong.” Official Manual of the State of Missouri. Ann Arbor: Secretary of State, 1895. 366. Print.
“Missouri History: United States Senators.” SOS.MO.gov. Missouri Secretary of State, n.d. Web. 22 Aug. 2013.
Onofrio, Jan. Missouri Biographical Dictionary. 3d ed. Hamburg: North American Book Dist., 2001. Print.