George Hearst Biography

George Hearst was an American business owner, miner, politician and a member of the United States Senate. Having been raised on a small farm in Missouri, he set up several mining operations. He garnered fame for founding the Homestake Mine in the late 1870s in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In 1879, he made its shares available on the New York Stock Exchange, after deciding to pursue other interests. The mine kept on producing gold until 2001. In 1860, after making San Francisco his home, Hearst turned to politics. For one term, he served as a representative from San Francisco in the state legislature. In 1886, he was picked for a vacant US Senatorial seat. Later that year, he won the seat as a Democratic candidate. His tenure lasted four years, from 1887 to his death in 1891. During these years, he managed his mining interests through his company. Hearst tied the knot quite late in his life, at the age of 42. His son, William Randolph Hearst, went on to become a renowned newspaperman and publisher.