Cassidy was born near
Paris, Kentucky, on April 25, 1836, and his family moved to
Missouri when he was five years old. He attended the local schools, studied with private tutors, and later studied law before deciding against a legal career. Cassidy moved to
California in 1857, and mined for gold before deciding on a career as a journalist. Active in politics from early adulthood, he became a member of the California Democratic Party's central committee. He became a reporter and editor, and worked for the
Meadow Lake Sun (Meadow Lake, California), the
White Pine News (
Treasure City, Nevada), and the
Inland News (
Hamilton, Nevada). In 1870 Cassidy moved to
Eureka, Nevada, and became an owner of the
Eureka Sentinel. He served in the
Nevada State Senate from 1872 to 1879 and was the Senate President Pro Tempore in his final term. In 1880 he ran successfully for Nevada's At-Large seat in the
United States House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1882 and served from March 4, 1881, to March 3, 1885. In his second term Cassidy was chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884. In 1886, he was appointed a national bank examiner for
Nevada,
Utah, California, and
Colorado, and he served until 1890. Cassidy was an unsuccessful candidate for election to Congress in 1888 and in 1890. He was a delegate to the
1892 Democratic National Convention. He was again nominated for Congress in 1892, but died before the election. He died in
Reno, Nevada, on June 24, 1892. He was buried at Hillside Cemetery in Reno. ==References==