Editing Thomas C. Power

{{Short description|American politician (1839–1923)}}
{{redirect|Senator Power|the member of the Senate of Puerto Rico|José Nadal Power}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Senator
|name        = Thomas Charles Power
|image       = ThomasCPower.jpg
|imagesize   = 230px
|jr/sr       = [[United States Senate|United States Senator]]
|state       = [[Montana]]
|term_start  =  January 2, 1890
|term_end    =  March 3, 1895
|predecessor =  None
|successor   = [[Thomas H. Carter]]
|birth_date   = {{birth date|1839|5|22}}
|birth_place  = near [[Dubuque, Iowa]]
|death_date   = {{death date and age|1923|2|16|1839|5|22}}
|death_place  = [[Helena, Montana]]
|restingplace = Resurrection Cemetery
|restingplacecoordinates = 
|birthname    = 
|nationality  = 
|party        = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|spouse       = 
|relations    = 
|children     = 
|residence    = 
|alma_mater   = 
|occupation   = 
|profession   = [[Businessperson|Businessman]]
|cabinet      = 
|committees   = 
|portfolio    = 
|religion     = 
|signature    = 
|website      = 
|footnotes    = 
}}
'''Thomas Charles Power''' (May 22, 1839{{spaced ndash}}February 16, 1923) was a [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] senator from [[Montana]] and an American businessman.

==Early life, education, and career==

Born near [[Dubuque, Iowa]], on May 22, 1839, Power attended public school and graduated from [[Sinsinawa Mound College|Sinsinawa College]] with a degree in engineering. He then worked as a surveyor in [[Dakota Territory|Dakota]] until 1860, when he entered the employ of an engineering company. There, he participated in government land surveys covering much of [[Iowa]] and what was then the [[Dakota Territory]].<ref name="Obit">"Thomas C. Power Taken By Death At Helena Home", ''The Missoulian'' (March 17, 1923), p. 1.</ref> Between 1861 and 1867, he was primarily engaged in trade along the [[Mississippi River]], eventually becoming president of a steamer line.<ref name="ed"/> Power first came to Montana in 1864, partnering in his enterprises with his brother, J.W. Power.<ref name="Obit"/> After settling in [[Helena, Montana|Helena]] in 1876, Power started T. C. Power and Bro, which was a mercantile company through the northwestern [[United States]] and western [[Canada]].<ref name="ed"/>

==Senate service and later life==
[[File:1891 Power Block building - Helena, Montana.jpg |thumb| left| upright=1.5 | An 1891 image of the 1889 Power Building in Helena, now popularly referred to as "The Power Block".<ref name=HelenaHistoryOrg_PowerBlock>{{cite web |title=The 1889 Power Building Popularly Known as the Power Block |url=http://www.helenahistory.org/power_building.htm |website=HelenaHistory.org |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603011352/http://www.helenahistory.org/power_building.htm |archivedate=June 3, 2019 |date=2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In 1889, Power ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Montana, winning the nomination of the Republican Party on the first ballot,<ref>"Montana Republican Convention", ''Bismarck Weekly Tribune'' (August 30, 1889), p. 7.</ref> but losing the general election to Democratic candidate [[Joseph Toole]], the only Democrat on the state ticket that year to be elected.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://mhs.mt.gov/education/studentguide/HistoryOfMontana.asp|title= A Brief History of Montana|publisher= The Official Website for the State of Montana|accessdate= October 10, 2012}}</ref> A conflict erupted over the respective roles of the governor and the state legislature in appointing the first two members of the [[United States Senate]] for the state,<ref>"The Montana Muddle",  ''Ashland Weekly News'' (December 11, 1889), p. 4.</ref> but on January 2, 1890, the Republican-controlled legislature elected Power to the second seat,<ref>"Elected Senator From Montana", ''Chicago Tribune'' (January 3, 1890), p. 2.</ref> which he then held until March 3, 1895.

Power died at his home in Helena on February 16, 1923, and was interred in Resurrection Cemetery. The town of [[Power, Montana|Power]] in Montana is named after him.<ref name="ed">[http://www.encyclopediadubuque.org/index.php?title=POWER,_Thomas_Charles Encyclopedia Dubuque, Thomas Charles Power]</ref>
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==References==
{{reflist}}
{{CongBio|P000486}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-new|first}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[List of Governors of Montana|Governor of Montana]]|years=[[1889 Montana gubernatorial election|1889]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John E. Rickards]]}}
{{s-par|us-sen}}
{{U.S. Senator box
|state=Montana
|class=2
|before=None
|after=[[Thomas H. Carter]]
|alongside=[[Wilbur F. Sanders]], [[Lee Mantle]]
|years=1890&ndash;1895}}
{{s-end}}

{{USSenMT}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Power, Thomas Charles}}
[[Category:1839 births]]
[[Category:1923 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Montana Territory]]
[[Category:Republican Party United States senators from Montana]]
[[Category:People from Dakota Territory]]
[[Category:Sinsinawa Mound College alumni]]
[[Category:Montana Republicans]]
[[Category:19th-century United States senators]]


{{Montana-politician-stub}}