History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/William P. Hepburn
WILLIAM P. HEPBURN was born at Wellsville, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1833. His father removed with his family to Iowa in 1841. The son attended the public schools and learned the printer's trade, afterwards read law and was admitted to the bar and, in 1856, was elected Prosecuting Attorney in Marshall County. In 1858 he was chosen chief clerk of the House of the Seventh General Assembly. In October of the same year he was elected District Attorney of the Eleventh District. When the Rebellion began, Mr. Hepburn raised a company for the Second Iowa Cavalry, of which he was commissioned captain. In September, 1862, he was promoted to major of the regiment and in November became lieutenant-colonel, serving until the regiment was mustered out in 1864. In 1876 he was one of the presidential electors on the Republican ticket. Having removed to Page County he was, in 1880, elected to Congress by the Republicans of the Eighth District. He was reëlected in 1882 and again in 1884. In 1886 he was defeated by Major A. R. Anderson. In 1888 he was chosen presidential elector. In 1892 he was again elected to Congress and has been reëlected in 1894, 1896, 1898, 1900 and 1902. Mr. Hepburn is a public speaker of unusual power and eloquence as well as an able debater. His long term of service in Congress has given him great influence in that body and for many years he has been one of the earnest workers for the construction of the Nicaraguan inter-ocean ship canal.