Enoch Worthen Eastman was a polititian, state senator of Iowa. He was attracting attention throughout the territory by his speeches opposing the boundaries for Iowa as proposed by Congress.
Background
Enoch Worthen Eastman was born on April 15, 1810 at Deerfield, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. He was the third of the seven children of John and Mary (James) Eastman. His grandfather, Ephraim Eastman, fought at Bunker Hill, and his father was a lieutenant in the War of 1812.
Education
As a boy, Enoch attended district school. In 1835 he began the study of law in the office of Moses Norris at Pittsfield.
Career
In 1840 was admitted to the bar at Concord.
Recognizing the opportunities to be found in the Middle West, Eastman moved to Burlington, Louisiana, in 1844, and started to practise his profession. Within a few months he was attracting attention throughout the territory by his speeches opposing the boundaries for Iowa as proposed by Congress.
The constitutional convention of 1844 had selected the Missouri River as the western border for the new state, but when the constitution came before Congress for approval, the boundary was changed to a line which cut off about one-third of the present state. Together with Fred D. Mills, Theodore S. Parvin, and others, Eastman stumped the territory making vigorous speeches.
At Eldora Eastman became a prominent attorney. He was counsel for the city in a successful county-seat contest with Point Pleasant, and participated in many important cases.
In 1863 was nominated for the office of lieutenant-governor of Iowa. He was elected, with the largest majority which up to that time had been given to a candidate for this office in the state. In 1883 he was elected to the Senate from Hardin County and served one term. This was his last political office.
Achievements
Politics
He was a strong supporter of the Democratic party until the election of President Buchanan, with whose doctrines he did not agree. Thereafter he affiliated with the Republican party.
Views
Quotations:
“Iowa, Her affections, like the rivers of her borders, flow to an inseparable Union. ”
Connections
On January 8, 1845, he married Sarah C. Greenough of Canterbury, New Hampshire. They lived successively at Burlington, Oskaloosa, and Eldora, lowa. Four years after the death, in 1861, of his first wife, he married Amanda Hall.