| Alexander Ramsey | |
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| In office December 10, 1879 – March 5, 1881 |
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| President | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | George W. McCrary |
| Succeeded by | Robert Todd Lincoln |
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| In office January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863 |
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| Lieutenant | Ignatius L. Donnelly |
| Preceded by | Henry Hastings Sibley |
| Succeeded by | Henry Adoniram Swift |
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1st Territorial Governor of Minnesota
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| In office June 1, 1849 – May 15, 1853 |
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| Preceded by | Territory Created |
| Succeeded by | Willis A. Gorman |
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| Born | September 8, 1815 Hummelstown, Pennsylvania |
| Died | April 22, 1903 (aged 87) St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Political party | Whig, Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Anna Jenks |
| Alma mater | Lafayette College |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer |
| Religion | Methodism |
Alexander Ramsey (September 8, 1815 – April 22, 1903) was an American politician. He was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Alexander Ramsey was elected from Pennsylvania as a Whig to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 28th and 29th congresses from March 4, 1843 to March 4, 1847. He served as the first Territorial Governor of Minnesota from June 1, 1849 to May 15, 1853 as a member of the Whig Party.
In 1855, he became the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. Ramsey was elected the second Governor of Minnesota after statehood and served from January 2, 1860 to July 10, 1863. Ramsey is credited with being the first Union governor to commit troops during the American Civil War (he happened to be in Washington, D.C. when fighting broke out). He resigned the governorship to become a U.S. Senator, having been elected to that post in 1863 as a Republican. He was re-elected in 1869 and held the office until March 3, 1875, serving in the 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd congresses.
Ramsey is also noted for his stern statements calling for the killing or removal of specific Native Americans, chiefly the Sioux people that lived in the state of Minnestoa. A famous quote has Ramsey declaring; "The Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state." [1]
Ramsey served as Secretary of War from 1879 to 1881, under President Rutherford B. Hayes.
[edit] Legacy
The Minnesota Historical Society preserves his home as a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Alexander Ramsey Park, located in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, is the largest municipal park in Minnesota. Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County, North Dakota, the city of Ramsey, Minnesota, the city of Ramsey, Illinois,[2] Ramsey Park in Stillwater, Minnesota, Ramsey Junior High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Alexander Ramsey Elementary School in Montevideo, Minnesota and Ramsey International Fine Arts Center (formerly Alexander Ramsey Junior High School) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are also named for him.
[edit] References
- Alexander Ramsey at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-03-22
- ^ http://www.unitednativeamerica.com/hanging.html
- ^ Allan H. Keith, Historical Stories: About Greenville and Bond County, IL. Consulted on August 15, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Biographical information, gubernatorial records, and Ramsey's personal papers are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.
- "Alexander Ramsey". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5969. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by James Irvin |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district March 4, 1843 – March 4, 1847 |
Succeeded by George N. Eckert |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Territory Created |
Territorial Governor of Minnesota June 1, 1849 – May 15, 1853 |
Succeeded by Willis A. Gorman |
| Preceded by David Olmsted |
Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota 1855 – 1856 |
Succeeded by George L. Becker |
| Preceded by Henry H. Sibley |
Governor of Minnesota January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863 |
Succeeded by Henry A. Swift |
| Preceded by George W. McCrary |
United States Secretary of War Served under: Rutherford B. Hayes December 10, 1879 – March 5, 1881 |
Succeeded by Robert T. Lincoln |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Henry M. Rice |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Minnesota March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1875 Served alongside: Morton S. Wilkinson, Daniel S. Norton, William Windom, Ozora P. Stearns and William Windom |
Succeeded by Samuel J. R. McMillan |
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