Stephen Wheeler Downey
A Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, he was an early white settler of Wyoming, and served as its treasurer, auditor, and delegate to Congress.After statehood, Downey continued to serve in local and state office, including Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives.[2] On 31 October 1861, Downey enlisted in the Union Army for the American Civil War, joining 3rd Maryland Infantry Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade as a private.[3] Near Boonsboro, Maryland, Downey's patrol encountered Confederate commander Stonewall Jackson and his staff riding in advance of their troops on the Sharpsburg Road.[4] During his congressional term, Downey earned nationwide headlines after he proposed legislation that would have declared the United States to be "a Christian people" and appropriated $500,000 (about $14.5 million in 2022) to create and install Christian-themed paintings and other artwork in federal buildings.[5] Press coverage of Downey's unsuccessful bill began after he obtained permission to have printed in the record his remarks in favor of his proposed law, which was revealed to be a 15 page prose poem, Argument of Hon.
U.S. House of RepresentativesWyoming Territoryat-largeWilliam Wellington CorlettMorton Everel PostWyoming House of RepresentativesJohn W. DonnellanWesternportMarylandAlbany CountyWyomingRepublicanSheridan DowneyDr. June Etta DowneyUnited StatesUnited States ArmyUnion ArmyColonel3rd Maryland Infantry, Potomac Home BrigadeCivil WarBattle of Harpers FerrylawyerpoliticianAmerican Civil WarSpeaker of the Wyoming House of RepresentativesUniversity of WyomingWesternport, Marylandstudied lawFrancis ThomasCumberland, Maryland3rd Maryland Infantry Regiment, Potomac Home Brigadeprivatefirst lieutenantlieutenant colonelRomney, VirginiaWest VirginiaChristopher C. AugurNathaniel P. BanksArmy CorpsMaryland campaignKearneysville, Virginia1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home BrigadeBoonsboro, MarylandConfederateStonewall Jacksonadmission to the barWashington, D.C.Territory of WyomingLaramieprosecuting attorneyAlbany County, WyomingsurveyWyoming Territorial Councilterritorial treasurerterritorial auditorDelegateUnited States House of Representativesprose poemJames A. Garfieldstate constitutionaltrusteeSpeaker pro temporeDenver, ColoradoLaramie, WyomingUnited States SenatorCaliforniapsychologistpsychologyphilosophyGoogle BooksNewspapers.comArchives WestOrbis Cascade AllianceFind a GraveBiographical Directory of the United States CongressWyoming Territory's at-large congressional districtMembers of the United States House of Representatives from WyomingTerritorialNuckollsSteeleCorlettCoffeenMondellOsborneWinterCarterGreeverHortonMcIntyreBarrettHarrisonThomsonRoncalioD. CheneyThomasLummisL. CheneyHageman