William Bishop (politician)

William Bishop
William Bishop
State Treasurer of Missouri
In office 1865–1869
Personal details
Born	1817 Martinsburg, Virginia, USA
Died	May 2, 1879 Kahoka, Missouri
Nationality	USA
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary Ann (Lapsley) Bishop
Children	Six
Residence	Clark County, Missouri Alexandria, Missouri
Occupation	Real Estate seculator Commodities broker Politician
Profession	Army officer

William Bishop (1817 – May 2, 1879) was an American businessman, military officer and politician in the 19th century. He served as the State Treasurer of Missouri from 1865 to 1869.

William H. Bishop was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, but moved with his family to McLean County, Illinois as a child. His father, also named William, was a veteran of the War of 1812. William H. moved to Missouri as an adult and by 1846 was living in Clark County, Missouri where he became a wealthy land and commodities speculator. By the time of the 1860 United States Census, Bishop had real estate holdings valued at $20,000, a substantial sum in that era. In March, 1861 he attended the first inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in hopes of receiving a political appointment.

At the outbreak of the American Civil War he was living in the Mississippi river port of Alexandria, Missouri. In June, 1861 Union General Nathaniel Lyon asked him to help organize several units of Missouri Home Guards to protect the state from pro-Confederate Missouri State Guards and rebel guerrilla activity. Bishop challenged his friend David Moore for command of the newly formed 1st Northeast Missouri Home Guards, but lost the election. Undeterred, in July, 1861 he began organizing a Cavalry battalion of Missouri Home Guard known as "Black Hawk Cavalry" at a training camp in Warsaw, Illinois. Following completion of training the unit was garrisoned at Martinsburg, Audrain County, Missouri to protect the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad from attack by Confederate bushwhackers. The unit was involved in several skirmishes against Confederate Bushwhackers across the state including at Milford, Spring Hill, and Crabapple Grove (near present-day Sturgeon, Missouri). Colonel Bishop's time in command of the Black Hawk Cavalry was plagued by political infighting, supply difficulties, and conflict with his superiors. As a result, in February, 1862 William Bishop was court-martialed on serious charges such as conduct unbecoming an officer, falsifying a muster roll, neglect of duty, and incompetence. He would be acquitted of all charges but removed from command of his unit, the Black Hawks being combined with other Union forces to create the 7th Missouri Cavalry Regiment.