Lee Mantle
Encyclopedia
Lee Mantle was a United States Senator from Montana
.
Born in Birmingham
, England
, his mother converted to Mormonism
and immigrated to the United States with her children; they settled at Salt Lake City, Utah
in 1864. Upon arriving in Utah Territory
and facing evidence that Mormon men were practicing polygamy
, Mantle's mother came to believe that she had been deceived by the Mormon missionaries and she and her children renounced the LDS Church.
Mantle attended a village school and moved to Idaho Territory
in 1870, where he was a telegraph operator and stage agent. He moved to Butte, Montana
in 1877 and became agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Co. He established the Inter Mountain, a daily Republican
newspaper, in 1881 and served as alderman
the same year. He was a member of the Territorial house of representatives in 1882, 1884, and 1888, and served as speaker in 1888; he was mayor of Butte in 1892 and many times chairman of local and State conventions.
Lee Mantle was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy in the term commencing March 4, 1893, caused by the failure of the legislature to elect, but was not seated; he was then elected as a Republican
to fill the vacancy and served from January 16, 1895, to March 3, 1899. In 1896, he switched parties and jointed the Silver Republican Party
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1899, and organized and became chairman of the Silver Republican Party of Montana in 1896, but returned to the Republican Party in 1900. He was manager and part-time editor of the Inter Mountain until 1901 and also engaged in the real estate and mining business. In 1921, he moved to Los Angeles, California
and died there in 1934; he was interred in Mount Moriah Cemetery, Butte.
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, his mother converted to Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
and immigrated to the United States with her children; they settled at Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 1864. Upon arriving in Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
and facing evidence that Mormon men were practicing polygamy
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
, Mantle's mother came to believe that she had been deceived by the Mormon missionaries and she and her children renounced the LDS Church.
Mantle attended a village school and moved to Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
in 1870, where he was a telegraph operator and stage agent. He moved to Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
in 1877 and became agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Co. He established the Inter Mountain, a daily Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
newspaper, in 1881 and served as alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
the same year. He was a member of the Territorial house of representatives in 1882, 1884, and 1888, and served as speaker in 1888; he was mayor of Butte in 1892 and many times chairman of local and State conventions.
Lee Mantle was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy in the term commencing March 4, 1893, caused by the failure of the legislature to elect, but was not seated; he was then elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to fill the vacancy and served from January 16, 1895, to March 3, 1899. In 1896, he switched parties and jointed the Silver Republican Party
Silver Republican Party
The Silver Republican Party was a United States political faction active in the 1890s. It was so named because it split from the Republican Party over the issues of "Free Silver" and bimetallism. The main Republican Party supported the gold standard....
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1899, and organized and became chairman of the Silver Republican Party of Montana in 1896, but returned to the Republican Party in 1900. He was manager and part-time editor of the Inter Mountain until 1901 and also engaged in the real estate and mining business. In 1921, he moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and died there in 1934; he was interred in Mount Moriah Cemetery, Butte.