Biography:

Simon Cameron was born on March 8, 1799 in Pennsylvania and was the father of James Donald Cameron, (Secretary of War during the Grant Administration).  At seventeen years old Simon Cameron became an editor for the newspaper Northumberland Gazette and later a newspaper owner and editor.  In 1822 was appointed to the post of State Printer and later in 1829 became the Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania state militia.  He became an influential politician whose support convinced Democrats to nominate Martin Van Buren as the 1832 vice presidential candidate.   In addition to his work as a politician, Cameron was a successful businessman who earned his fortune in the banking and railroad industries.  In 1845 he successfully ran for the US Senate and later, in 1861, became Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of war.  He served a ten month term, resigned in 1862 due to corruption allegations, and was appointed by Lincoln to serve as the ambassador to Russia.   In 1863 Cameron resigned, ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate, and was accused of bribing politicians in order to sway the election.  He was never formally charged with corruption.  Cameron supported Lincoln’s re-election, and in return, Lincoln appointed politicians loyal to Cameron to federal positions in Pennsylvania.  Consequently, Cameron’s political power grew and he soon became the leader of Pennsylvania’s political machine.  political influence was so great that he convinced President Ulysses S. Grant to appoint his son, James Donald Cameron, secretary of war in 1876.  His After James Donald resigned amongst rumors of corruption, Cameron resigned his seat in the US Senate, making sure that his son would replace him.  Simon Cameron died on June 26, 1899 at his home in Pennsylvania.