Born in Belmont, Ohio. Studied law and admitted to the bar in 1850. Elected prosecuting attorney of Knox County serving 1852 to 1855. Moved to Winona, Minnesota Territory in 1855. Married to Ellen Towne Hatch August 20, 1856. They had three children.

Elected to the House of Representatives serving March 4, 1859, to March 3, 1869. Elected to the Senate serving December 5, 1870, to March 4, 1881. Nominated as candidate for President in 1880, 1884 and 1888.

Appointed Secretary of the Treasury briefly in 1881, serving March 5, 1881, to November 14, 1881. Returned to the Senate November 15, 1881, to March 3, 1883. He lost the next election. He practiced law in New York City 1883 to 1889. Served as Secretary of the Treasury again March 5, 1889, to January 29, 1891. Windom was a strong advocate for the gold standard. His appearance on a silver certificate is therefore ironic. He died suddenly at Delmonico's in New York after giving a speech to the New York Board of Trade and Transportation.

Windom appears on paper money: $2 Silver Certificate, series of 1891

He appears on a 76 mm mint medal (Julian MT-25) with dies by Charles Barber. Dies were prepared for use in 1890. After his death in 1891 a new reverse die was prepared (Julian MT-26) that included his date of death. The first obverse die was reused with the new reverse in 1891. The modern mint medal (USM 202) shows the second reverse.

Windom appears on the Assay Commission Medal for 1891 (Julian AC-34). The dies were prepared quickly after his death. Obverse was by Charles Barber; reverse was by George Morgan.

bio: ApCAB; BDC; BDEB; DAB; Failor; Limpert; NCAB 1; TCBDA; WWWA-H

profile: NUM 84 Mar 1971 pages 329-330