Charles E. Belknap
Encyclopedia
Charles Eugene Belknap was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Belknap was born in Massena, New York
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....
and attended the common schools there. He moved with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
in 1855.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
August 12, 1862, in Company H of the Twenty-first Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry
21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 21st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 21st Michigan Infantry was mustered into Federal service at Ionia, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 9, 1862...
. He was rapidly promoted through several ranks, including:
- Fourth Sergeant, September 1, 1862
- First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
, January 1, 1863 - Sergeant Major of the Regiment, February 1, 1863
- Second Lieutenant, April 1, 1863
- First Lieutenant, September 22, 1863, for gallant service at the Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of ChickamaugaThe Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, by special order of general SheridanPhilip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S... - Captain, January 8, 1864, in recognition of services rendered at and near Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
He served in the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
during the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, and with General Sherman's
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
and through the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
. He was mustered out of service on June 8, 1865. At the battles of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
and Chickamauga he received seven wounds, none of them very serious.
After the war, from the fall of 1865 to 1871, Belknap lived on a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Sparta, Michigan
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. The village resides in Sparta Township.-History:...
, before returning to Grand Rapids, where he organized the Belknap Wagon and Sleigh Company, a very successful business that manufactured wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
s and sleighs.
Beginning in 1872, Belknap served in the city's volunteer fire service for many years, as both foreman of Company No. 3 and as Assistant Chief. He was instrumental in the transition from a volunteer to a paid fire service. He was a member of the Grand Rapids board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
1878–1885, served on the board of aldermen from the Seventh Ward 1880–1882, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1884. In 1885, he was appointed by Governor Russell A. Alger
Russell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
as a Trustee of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
for a term ending in 1891.
Belknap defeated Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne Haddock Ford was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Ford was born in Salem, Michigan and moved to Lansing with his parents in 1859. He attended the common schools and the Michigan State College of Agriculture at East Lansing...
in 1888 to be elected as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.It is currently a mostly industrial area , with Tuscola County being the main exception. It encompasses much of the area south of Saginaw Bay...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the Fifty-first Congress. He served from March 4, 1889 to March 3, 1891. He was not a candidate for re-nomination to the Fifty-second Congress in 1890, but was subsequently elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Ford on April 20, 1891. Belknap served from November 3, 1891 to March 3, 1893. He unsuccessfully contested the election of George F. Richardson
George F. Richardson
George Frederick Richardson was a politician from the U.S. states of Michigan and Washington.Richardson was born in Jamestown Township, Michigan and attended the common schools. He engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits and was elected township clerk eight years in succession...
to the Fifty-third Congress. He performed staff duty at Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe may refer to:*Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, a town*Fort Oglethorpe , Army base founded in 1904*Fort Oglethorpe , a World War I military facility near the town of Fort Oglethorpe...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
He died in Grand Rapids and is interred in the Greenwood Cemetery there.
External links
Charles Eugene Belknap (October 17, 1846 – January 16, 1929) was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Belknap was born in Massena, New York
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....
and attended the common schools there. He moved with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
in 1855.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
August 12, 1862, in Company H of the Twenty-first Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry
21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 21st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 21st Michigan Infantry was mustered into Federal service at Ionia, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 9, 1862...
. He was rapidly promoted through several ranks, including:
- Fourth Sergeant, September 1, 1862
- First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
, January 1, 1863 - Sergeant Major of the Regiment, February 1, 1863
- Second Lieutenant, April 1, 1863
- First Lieutenant, September 22, 1863, for gallant service at the Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of ChickamaugaThe Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, by special order of general SheridanPhilip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S... - Captain, January 8, 1864, in recognition of services rendered at and near Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
He served in the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
during the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, and with General Sherman's
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
and through the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
. He was mustered out of service on June 8, 1865. At the battles of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
and Chickamauga he received seven wounds, none of them very serious.
After the war, from the fall of 1865 to 1871, Belknap lived on a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Sparta, Michigan
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. The village resides in Sparta Township.-History:...
, before returning to Grand Rapids, where he organized the Belknap Wagon and Sleigh Company, a very successful business that manufactured wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
s and sleighs.
Beginning in 1872, Belknap served in the city's volunteer fire service for many years, as both foreman of Company No. 3 and as Assistant Chief. He was instrumental in the transition from a volunteer to a paid fire service. He was a member of the Grand Rapids board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
1878–1885, served on the board of aldermen from the Seventh Ward 1880–1882, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1884. In 1885, he was appointed by Governor Russell A. Alger
Russell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
as a Trustee of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
for a term ending in 1891.
Belknap defeated Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne Haddock Ford was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Ford was born in Salem, Michigan and moved to Lansing with his parents in 1859. He attended the common schools and the Michigan State College of Agriculture at East Lansing...
in 1888 to be elected as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.It is currently a mostly industrial area , with Tuscola County being the main exception. It encompasses much of the area south of Saginaw Bay...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the Fifty-first Congress. He served from March 4, 1889 to March 3, 1891. He was not a candidate for re-nomination to the Fifty-second Congress in 1890, but was subsequently elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Ford on April 20, 1891. Belknap served from November 3, 1891 to March 3, 1893. He unsuccessfully contested the election of George F. Richardson
George F. Richardson
George Frederick Richardson was a politician from the U.S. states of Michigan and Washington.Richardson was born in Jamestown Township, Michigan and attended the common schools. He engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits and was elected township clerk eight years in succession...
to the Fifty-third Congress. He performed staff duty at Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe may refer to:*Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, a town*Fort Oglethorpe , Army base founded in 1904*Fort Oglethorpe , a World War I military facility near the town of Fort Oglethorpe...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
He died in Grand Rapids and is interred in the Greenwood Cemetery there.
External links
Charles Eugene Belknap (October 17, 1846 – January 16, 1929) was a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Belknap was born in Massena, New York
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....
and attended the common schools there. He moved with his family to Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
in 1855.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
August 12, 1862, in Company H of the Twenty-first Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry
21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 21st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 21st Michigan Infantry was mustered into Federal service at Ionia, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 9, 1862...
. He was rapidly promoted through several ranks, including:
- Fourth Sergeant, September 1, 1862
- First SergeantFirst SergeantFirst sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
, January 1, 1863 - Sergeant Major of the Regiment, February 1, 1863
- Second Lieutenant, April 1, 1863
- First Lieutenant, September 22, 1863, for gallant service at the Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of ChickamaugaThe Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
, by special order of general SheridanPhilip SheridanPhilip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S... - Captain, January 8, 1864, in recognition of services rendered at and near Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
.
He served in the Army of the Cumberland
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
during the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, and with General Sherman's
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
and through the Carolinas Campaign
Carolinas Campaign
The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
. He was mustered out of service on June 8, 1865. At the battles of Stones River
Battle of Stones River
The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro , was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War...
and Chickamauga he received seven wounds, none of them very serious.
After the war, from the fall of 1865 to 1871, Belknap lived on a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Sparta, Michigan
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta is a village in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. The village resides in Sparta Township.-History:...
, before returning to Grand Rapids, where he organized the Belknap Wagon and Sleigh Company, a very successful business that manufactured wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
s and sleighs.
Beginning in 1872, Belknap served in the city's volunteer fire service for many years, as both foreman of Company No. 3 and as Assistant Chief. He was instrumental in the transition from a volunteer to a paid fire service. He was a member of the Grand Rapids board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
1878–1885, served on the board of aldermen from the Seventh Ward 1880–1882, and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1884. In 1885, he was appointed by Governor Russell A. Alger
Russell A. Alger
Russell Alexander Alger was the 20th Governor and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan and also U.S. Secretary of War during the Presidential administration of William McKinley...
as a Trustee of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
for a term ending in 1891.
Belknap defeated Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne H. Ford
Melbourne Haddock Ford was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Ford was born in Salem, Michigan and moved to Lansing with his parents in 1859. He attended the common schools and the Michigan State College of Agriculture at East Lansing...
in 1888 to be elected as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.It is currently a mostly industrial area , with Tuscola County being the main exception. It encompasses much of the area south of Saginaw Bay...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the Fifty-first Congress. He served from March 4, 1889 to March 3, 1891. He was not a candidate for re-nomination to the Fifty-second Congress in 1890, but was subsequently elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Ford on April 20, 1891. Belknap served from November 3, 1891 to March 3, 1893. He unsuccessfully contested the election of George F. Richardson
George F. Richardson
George Frederick Richardson was a politician from the U.S. states of Michigan and Washington.Richardson was born in Jamestown Township, Michigan and attended the common schools. He engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits and was elected township clerk eight years in succession...
to the Fifty-third Congress. He performed staff duty at Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe
Fort Oglethorpe may refer to:*Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, a town*Fort Oglethorpe , Army base founded in 1904*Fort Oglethorpe , a World War I military facility near the town of Fort Oglethorpe...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
He died in Grand Rapids and is interred in the Greenwood Cemetery there.