Simon Cameron Simon Cameron ( March 8 , 1799June 26 , 1889 ) was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War . Cameron made his fortune in railways , canals and banking , founding the Bank of Middletown . He then turned to a life of politics . He became a U . S . senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania , succeeding James Buchanan . Originally a Democrat , he failed to secure a nomination for senator from the Know - Nothing party , and joined the People ' s Party , the Pennsylvania branch of what became the Republican Party . He won the Senate seat in 1857 , and became one of the candidates for the Republican nomination in the presidential election of 1860 . Cameron gave his support to Abraham Lincoln , and became his Secretary of War . He only served a year before resigning amidst corruption . Cameron became the minister to Russia during the Civil War , but was overseas for less than a year . He again served in the Senate , eventually being succeeded by his son , J . Donald Cameron , and only resigned from the Senate upon confirmation that his son would succeed him . Early life . Cameron was born in Maytown , Pennsylvania , to Charles Cameron and Martha Pfoutz . He was orphaned at nine and later apprenticed to a printer , Andrew Kennedy , editor of the Northumberland " Gazette " before entering the field of journalism . He was editor of the " Bucks County Messenger " in 1821 . A year later , he moved to Washington , D . C . , and studied political movement s while working for the printing firm of Gales and Seaton . He married Margaret Brua and returned to Harrisburg , Pennsylvania where he purchased and ran the " Republican " in 1824 . Cameron served as state printer of Pennsylvania from 1825 until 1827 and was state adjutant general in 1826 . He constructed several rail lines and merged them into the Northern Central Railway . He founded the Bank of Middletown in 1832 and engaged in other business enterprises . In 1838 , he was appointed as commissioner to settle claims of the Winnebago Indians . Politics . Cameron became a Whig member , and later , around 1845 , a Democrat . He was elected to replace James Buchanan in the United States Senate in 1844 , serving until 1849 . He switched to the Republican Party . In 1856 , Cameron was again elected to the United States Senate . Cameron was nominated for President , but gave his support to Abraham Lincoln at the 1860 Republican National Convention . Lincoln , as part of a political bargain , named Cameron Secretary of War . Because of allegations of corruption , however , he was forced to resign early in 1862 . His corruption was so notorious that a Pennsylvania congressman , Thaddeus Stevens , when discussing Cameron ' s honesty with Lincoln , told Lincoln that " I don ' t think that he would steal a red hot stove . " When Cameron demanded Stevens retract this statement , Stevens told Lincoln " I believe I told you he would not steal a red - hot stove . I will now take that back . " Cameron ' s brother , James Cameron , colonel of the 79th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment , was killed in action at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21 , 1861 . Simon Cameron was succeeded as Secretary of War by Edwin M . Stanton , who had been serving as a legal advisor to the War Secretary . Cameron then served as United States Minister to Russia . In 1866 , Cameron was again elected to the Senate and served there until 1877 , when on assurances from the Pennsylvania General Assembly that his son , James Donald Cameron , would be the successor to his seat , he resigned . His son had already been named as Secretary of War in 1876 . Later life . Cameron retired to his farm at " Donegal Springs " " Cameron Estate " near Maytown , Pennsylvania where he died on June 26 , 1889 . He is buried in the Harrisburg Cemetery in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania . Cameron County , Pennsylvania and Cameron Parish , Louisiana are named in his honor .