(June 18, 1808 — October 5, 1871) Cyrus Aldrich, a Representative from Minnesota; born in Smithfield, R.I., June 18, 1808; attended the common schools; followed the occupations of sailor, boatman, farmer, contractor on public works, and mail contractor; moved to Illinois and settled in Alton in 1837; member of the State house of representatives 1845-1847; register of deeds of Jo Daviess County 1847-1849; receiver of the United States land office at Dixon, Ill., 1849-1853; moved to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1855 and engaged in the lumber business; member of the State constitutional convention in 1857; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1859-March 3, 1863); chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs (Thirty-seventh Congress); was not a candidate for renomination in 1862; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1863 to the United States Senate; member of the State house of representatives in 1865; elected chairman of the board of supervisors of the town of Minneapolis in 1865; appointed by President Lincoln in 1863 one of the commissioners to examine claims for indemnity of those who had suffered from the Sioux War of 1862; postmaster of Minneapolis, Minn., from September 11, 1867, until April 15, 1871, when a successor was appointed; died in Minneapolis, Minn., October 5, 1871; interment in Lakewood Cemetery. [Source: “Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 - Present,” available at https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/A000081]