James Mosgrove

James Mosgrove (June 14, 1821 – November 27, 1900) was a Greenback member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He served one term in Congress during a period of significant political and economic change in the United States, representing the interests of his constituents under the banner of the National Greenback Party.

Mosgrove was born in Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, on June 14, 1821. He attended the common schools in and around Kittanning, receiving a basic formal education typical of the era. His early life was rooted in the developing industrial and commercial environment of western Pennsylvania, which would shape his later business and political interests.

Before entering public office, Mosgrove was engaged in the iron business, a key industry in Pennsylvania in the mid-nineteenth century. His work in iron placed him within the broader economic debates of the post–Civil War period, particularly those concerning currency, credit, and industrial development. By the late 1870s, these concerns aligned him with the Greenback movement, which advocated for an expanded paper currency to support farmers, laborers, and small business interests.

In 1878, Mosgrove first sought elective office as a candidate on the Greenback ticket but was unsuccessful. Persisting in his political efforts, he subsequently ran again and was elected as a Greenback candidate to the Forty-seventh Congress, serving from March 4, 1881, to March 3, 1883. As a member of the National Greenbacker Party representing Pennsylvania, he contributed to the legislative process during his single term in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by economic adjustment after the Civil War and ongoing debates over monetary policy, in which Greenback principles played a prominent role. Through his participation in the democratic process, he sought to represent the economic and political concerns of his district.

After completing his term, Mosgrove declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1882. He also declined an opportunity to seek higher office as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, choosing instead to return to private life and business pursuits. His decisions reflected both his independence from established party structures and a preference for local and economic leadership over extended partisan political engagement.

Following his congressional service, Mosgrove became active in banking. He was engaged in financial affairs in Kittanning and served as president of the First National Bank from 1882 until his death. In this role, he exercised significant influence over local economic development and credit, continuing the engagement with financial issues that had characterized his political alignment with the Greenback movement.

James Mosgrove died in his native Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on November 27, 1900. He was interred in Kittanning Cemetery. His life encompassed the transition of western Pennsylvania from an early industrial region to a more complex commercial and financial center, and his career in industry, politics, and banking reflected the economic and political currents of the late nineteenth century.