The Biographical Dictionary of America/Armstrong, David Hartley

ARMSTRONG, David Hartley, senator, was born in Nova Scotia, Oct. 21, 1812. He attended Maine Wesleyan seminary; removed to St. Louis, Mo., in 1837, and became instructor of the first public school in Missouri. He was comptroller of St. Louis, 1847-50; served as vice-president of the board of police commissioners and became postmaster at St. Louis in 1854. He was imprisoned for expressing sympathy for the Confederacy during the Civil war; served as receiver of the Missouri Pacific railroad, and was appointed to the U.S. senate by the governor, to fill the unexpired term of Senator Bogy, deceased, serving, 1877-79. He died in St. Louis, Mo., March 18, 1893.