Background
Hitchcock, Phineas Warrener was born on November 30, 1831 in New Lebanon, New York, United States. Son of Gad and Nancy (Prime) Hitchcock.
lawyer politician United States senator
Hitchcock, Phineas Warrener was born on November 30, 1831 in New Lebanon, New York, United States. Son of Gad and Nancy (Prime) Hitchcock.
When he turned 16, he began two years preparatory course study at the Great Barrington Academy in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He entered Williams College in Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts graduating in 1855. His classmates at Williams included, James A. Garfield, James Gilfillan and John James Ingalls.
After he graduated, and after several years of combined law study and journalistic work in New York State, he moved to the Territory of Nebraska in the spring of 1857, locating at Omaha, then a small settlement.
He at once opened a law office, combining with the practice of his profession an agency for several insurance companies and a general real estate business.
Hitchcock County, Nebraska, is named after him. Education Marriage and family life Political career Hitchcock was appointed a United States Marshal from 1861–1864. A Republican, elected as the Nebraska Territory Delegate to the Thirty-ninth Congress and served from March 4, 1865 to March 1, 1867, when the Territory was admitted as a State into the Union.
He was appointed surveyor general of Nebraska and Iowa from 1867-1869.
In 1870, Hitchcock was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1871, to March 4, 1877. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection.
Hitchcock served as the chairman of the Committee on Territories in the Forty-fourth Congress. He was involved in newspaper publishing and various businesses.
In 1873 Hitchcock introduced the Timber Culture Acting a follow-up act to the Homestead Acting.
The Timber Culture Acting was passed by Congress on March 3 of that year. This act allowed homesteaders to acquire 160 acres of land by planting 40 acres of trees. At the end of eight years from the date of entry, the settler could make final proof if the necessary conditions had been fulfilled.
Five additional years were allowed to make proof, or a total of thirteen years from the date of entry.
The claimant had to prove that the trees had been planted and cultivated and that not less than 675 living trees per acre had survived. An affidavit or "timber culture proof" had to be completed by the claimant and two witnesses before the final certificate and patents were issued.
Member United States Senate from Nebraska, 1871-1877.
Married Annie Monell, 1857.