Henry Wilson

Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson
18th Vice President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1873 – November 22, 1875
President Ulysses S. Grant
Preceded by Schuyler Colfax
Succeeded by William A. Wheeler
United States Senator
from Massachusetts
In office
January 31, 1855 – March 4, 1873
Preceded by Julius Rockwell
Succeeded by George S. Boutwell
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs
In office
1861–1872
Preceded by Jefferson Davis
Succeeded by John A. Logan
Personal details
Born February 16, 1812(1812-02-16)
Farmington, New Hampshire
Died November 22, 1875(1875-11-22) (aged 63)
Washington, D.C.
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Harriet Malvina Howe Wilson
Religion Congregationalist
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United StatesUnion
Service/branch Union Army
Years of service 1861
Rank Union army col rank insignia.jpg Colonel
Commands 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars American Civil War

Henry Wilson (February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875) was the 18th Vice President of the United States (1873–1875) and a Senator from Massachusetts (1855–1873). During the American Civil War, he was a leading Republican who devoted his enormous energies to the destruction of what he called the Slave Power, which he defined as a conspiracy of slave owners to seize control of the federal government and block the progress of liberty. After the Civil War, he was elected vice president in 1872, on President Ulysses S. Grant's Republican ticket; he served in this position from March 4, 1873 until November 22, 1875, when he died in office.

Contents

Biography

Wilson was born Jeremiah Jones Colbath in Farmington, New Hampshire. In 1833 he had his name legally changed by the legislature to Henry Wilson. Henry Wilson moved to Natick, Massachusetts in 1833 and became a shoemaker. He attended several local academies, and also taught school in Natick, where he later engaged in the manufacture of shoes. He was a member of the state legislature between 1841 and 1852, and was owner and editor of the Boston Republican from 1848 to 1851.

Henry Wilson's shoeshop in Natick, Massachusetts.

U.S. Congress

Wilson was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1852 to Congress. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1853 and was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1853. In 1855 he was elected to the United States Senate by a coalition of Free-Soilers, Americans (aka Know Nothings), and Democrats to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Edward Everett. He was reelected as a Republican in 1859, 1865 and 1871, and served from January 31, 1855, to March 4, 1873, when he resigned to become Vice President. He was Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia and the Committee on Military Affairs. In that capacity, Wilson passed on over 15,000 nominations that Lincoln submitted during the course of the War, and worked closely with him on legislation affecting the Army and Navy.[1] In 1861 he raised and commanded the 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

A controversy that swirled around Wilson's name since 1861 was that he (while Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs) may have revealed plans for the invasion of Virginia culminating in the First Battle of Bull Run to southern spy (and Washington society figure) Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Wilson (although married) had seen a great deal of Mrs. Greenhow, and while with her may have told her about the plans followed by Major General Irvin McDowell, which may have been part of the intelligence Mrs. Greenhow got to Confederate forces under Major General Pierre Beauregard. If so this information may have led to the Northern rout in that battle. However, in his most recent biography, an alternative (a Northern clerk named Horace White) was suggested as the real leak.

Grant/Wilson campaign poster

Vice President

Wilson was elected Vice President of the United States on the Republican ticket with President Ulysses S. Grant to replace the controversial Schuyler Colfax and served from March 4, 1873, until his death. His election victory was tainted, however, when it was shown that he was one of several major Republican (and Democratic) Congressmen and Senators who were offered bribes (and possibly took them) of shares in the Crédit Mobilier scandal by its organizer, Congressman Oakes Ames. Wilson was cleared by the Senate inquiry, but his reputation was stained.

Declining health and death

The Vice President suffered a serious stroke in 1873. Although partly paralyzed, he fought to actively perform his duties as presiding officer over the United States Senate. On November 22, 1875, Wilson died from a second stroke while working in the United States Capitol Building at Washington, D.C. He was interred in Old Dell Park Cemetery, Natick.

Books

Among Wilson's published works are: History of the Anti-Slavery Measures of the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses, 1861-64 (1864); History of the Reconstruction Measures of the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses, 1865-68 (1868); and an exceedingly valuable, although partisan, publication, History of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America, (three volumes, 1872–77).

See also

References

  • Ernest McKay, Henry Wilson, Practical Radical: Portrait of a Politician, (Port Washington, NY, London: National University Publications: Kennikat Press, 1971), Series in American Studies edited by James P. Shenton ISBN 0-8046-9010-3
  • Henry Wilson, History of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America, 2 vols. (Boston: J. R. Osgood and Co., 1873–77)

Trivia

  • His desk was the desk used by Richard Nixon during his administration. Nixon really wanted the desk used by Woodrow Wilson, and when he asked for a "Wilson desk", he received the desk used by Henry Wilson. Nixon didn't figure out this mistake until later on.[2]

References

  1. ^ 371. Herndon, William H. and Jesse Weik. Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis (Editors) Herndon’s Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln (1998), § 444, p. 561.
  2. ^ Urban Legend Page

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Schuyler Colfax
Vice President of the United States
March 4, 1873 – November 22, 1875
Vacant
Title next held by
William A. Wheeler
United States Senate
Preceded by
Julius Rockwell
United States Senator (Class 2) from Massachusetts
January 31, 1855 – March 4, 1873
Succeeded by
George S. Boutwell
Party political offices
Preceded by
Schuyler Colfax
Republican Party vice presidential candidate
1872
Succeeded by
William A. Wheeler
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Charles Sumner
Persons who have lain in state or honor
in the United States Capitol rotunda

November 25 – 26, 1875
Succeeded by
James Garfield

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Henry Wilson — ist der Name folgender Personen: Henry Wilson (Politiker) (1812–1875), US amerikanischer Politiker, Vizepräsident von 1873 bis 1875 Henry Wilson (Komponist) (1828–1878), US amerikanischer Komponist Henry Hughes Wilson (1864–1922), britischer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson — Henry Wilson. Henry Wilson (nacido con el nombre de Jeremiah Jones Colbath), nacido el 16 de febrero de 1812 en Farmington (New Hampshire), fue un político estadounidense y miembro del Partido Republicano, que llegó a la vicepresidencia de los… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Henry Wilson — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Henry Wilson (homonymie) et Wilson. Henry Wilson (1812 1875) est un homme politique américain du XIXe siècle, sénateur républicain du Massachusetts et dix huitième Vice président des États Unis …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Henry Wilson (Politiker) — Henry Wilson Henry Wilson (* 16. Februar 1812 in Farmington, Strafford County, New Hampshire; † 22. November 1875 in Washington D.C.; eigentlich Jeremiah Jones Colbath) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und Vizepräsident der Vereinigten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson (disambiguation) — Henry Wilson may refer to: *Henry Wilson, (1812 ndash;75) eighteenth Vice President of the United States and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. *Henry Wilson (Antelope), Captain of the British East India Company ship Antelope and the first European …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson Allen — Born September 12, 1912(1912 09 12) Kansas City, Missouri Died October 26, 1991(1991 10 26) (aged 79) Van Nuys, California Occupation Writer, Screenwriter …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson (British politician) — Henry Joseph Wilson (14 April 1833 – 29 June 1914) was a British Liberal Party politician.He was elected at 1885 general election as Member of Parliament for Holmfirth in West Yorkshire and held the seat until his resignation in 1912. His… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson Allen — (* 12. September 1912 in Kansas City, Missouri; † 26. Oktober 1991 in Van Nuys, Kalifornien) war ein US amerikanischer Autor. Allen wurde unter den Pseudonymen Will Henry und Clay Fisher bekannt als Autor von Romanen, Erzählungen und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson (Pennsylvania) — Henry Wilson (1778 ndash;August 14, 1826) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Henry Wilson was born in Dauphin, Pennsylvania. He completed preparatory studies, studied law in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was admitted… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Wilson (Antelope) — Henry Wilson was captain of the British East India Company s packet ship Antelope , when it shipwrecked off Ulong, [cite web |url= http://www.pacificworlds.com/palau/visitors/explore.cfm |title= Palau: Airai Visitors: Explorers |accessdate= 2007… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”