12 Facts About Alvin Saunders

Alvin Saunders was a US Senator from Nebraska, as well as the final and longest-serving governor of the Nebraska Territory, a tenure he served during most of the American Civil War.

Alvin Saunders attended the common schools and pursued an academic course; he moved with his father to Illinois in 1829 and then to Mount Pleasant, Iowa in 1836.

Alvin Saunders was the postmaster of Mount Pleasant for seven years.

Alvin Saunders was a delegate to the Iowa State constitutional convention in 1846 and was a member of the Iowa State Senate from December 4,1854, to May 14,1861.

Alvin Saunders served the first two years of his legislative tenure as a Whig for District 5, then changed his party affiliation to Republican, holding the District 7 seat until 1860, when he assumed the District 9 seat.

Alvin Saunders was one of the commissioners appointed by Congress to organize the Union Pacific Railroad Company.

Alvin Saunders served as the last Governor of Nebraska Territory from 1861 to 1867.

Alvin Saunders was a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention.

Alvin Saunders was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served a single term from March 4,1877, to March 3,1883; chairman of the Committee on Territories.

Alvin Saunders died in Omaha on November 1,1899; interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Alvin Saunders's mother was Mary Mauzy of the same county.

Alvin Saunders was the grandfather of William Henry Harrison III, who served several terms as Wyoming's member of the US House of Representatives in the 1950s and 60s.