William Heilman
William Heilman was a U.S. Representative from Indiana, great-grandfather of Charles Marion LaFollette.
Born in Albig, Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, Heilman immigrated to the United States in 1843 and settled on a farm in Vanderburg County, Indiana.
After moving to Evansville, Indiana, he worked for a manufacturing company and subsequently became president of a cotton mill.
In 1847, he founded a machine shop for the manufacture of drills.
He served as member of the city council 1852-1865, as member of the Indiana House of Representatives 1870-1876 and as delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876.
He served in the Indiana State Senate from 1876 until March 3, 1879.
Heilman was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882 to the Forty-eighth Congress.
He resumed his former business activities.
He died in Evansville, Indiana, September 22, 1890.
He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery.
