- Arthur C. Mellette
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Arthur C. Mellette 1st Governor of South Dakota In office
1889–1893Preceded by Governors of Dakota Territory Succeeded by Charles H. Sheldon Governor of Dakota Territory In office
1885–1889Preceded by Louis K. Church Succeeded by Governors of North Dakota and South Dakota Personal details Born June 23, 1842
Henry County, IndianaDied May 25, 1896 (aged 53)
Pittsburg, KansasPolitical party Republican Spouse(s) Margaret Wylie Arthur Calvin Mellette (June 23, 1842 – May 25, 1896) was the last Governor of the Dakota Territory and was the first Governor of the State of South Dakota.
Biography
Mellette was the son of Charles Mellette and was born in Henry County, Indiana. He was educated at Marion Academy in Marion, Indiana. In 1862, Mellette entered Indiana University as a sophomore and graduated in 1863. On October 6, 1864, he enlisted in Company H of the 9th Indiana Volunteers, serving as a conscripted soldier until mustering out on September 28, 1865. He served in the army as a substitute for his older invalid brother and experienced many humiliations as a result. In 1866, Mellette graduated from the School of Law at the Indiana University and went to Muncie, Indiana, where he began practicing law with Thomas J. Brady. On May 26, 1866, he married Margaret Wylie. Mellette was elected as district attorney for Delaware County, Indiana. In 1870, Mellette purchased the Muncie Times, a newspaper which became influential and prosperous under his tutelage. During that same year, Mellette was elected the county superintendent of schools.
When his wife became ill, Mellette visited western states to find a climate that would be more beneficial to her. Mellette's family eventually settled in Springfield, Dakota Territory, for two years; and, Mellette served as register of the United States Land Office in Springfield until the land office was moved to Watertown, Dakota Territory, in 1880. In October 1885, the Republicans nominated Mellette for governor of Dakota Territory. In November 1885, Mellette ran unopposed for the office of governor; and, voters selected Huron as the temporary capitol of Dakota Territory. In 1889, voters approved the new constitution for South Dakota and elected Arthur C. Mellette as South Dakota's first Governor. On November 2, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed the proclamation to make South Dakota the fortieth state. Mellette County, South Dakota is named in his honor.
The Civil War Diary of Arthur Calvin Mellette was edited in 1975 by Gerald W. Wolff, retired historian from the University of South Dakota through auspices of the South Dakota Historical Association.[1]
References
- ^ Gerald W. Wolff, The Civil War Diary of Arthur Calvin Mellette. South Dakota State Historical Society, ISBN 9994081926. http://www.paperbackswap.com/Civil-War-Diary-Gerald-W-Wolff/book/9994081926/. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
External links
- Arthur C. Mellette's "Dakota Profile" biography
- Arthur C. Mellette's "Weekly South Dakotan" biography
- Arthur C. Mellette's biography at the Historical Society of North Dakota website
- Arthur C. Mellette's burial record at Findagrave.com
Governors of Dakota Territory Governors and Lieutenant Governors of South Dakota Governors Mellette · Sheldon · Lee · Herreid · Elrod · Crawford · Vessey · Byrne · Norbeck · McMaster · Gunderson · Bulow · Green · Berry · Jensen · Bushfield · Sharpe · G.T. Mickelson · Anderson · Foss · Herseth · Gubbrud · Boe · Farrar · Kneip · Wollman · Janklow · G.S. Mickelson · Miller · Janklow · Rounds · DaugaardLieutenant
GovernorsFletcher · Hoffman · Herreid · Hindman · Kean · Snow · McDougall · Shober · Byrne · Abel · Norbeck · McMaster · Gunderson · Forney · Covey · Coyne · J. Grigsby · Whitney · Ustrud · Peterson · McMurchie · A. Miller · S. Grigsby · Terry · Houck · Lindley · Bottum · Boe · Overpeck · Abdnor · Dougherty · Wollman · Hansen · W. Miller · Kirby · Hillard · Daugaard · MichelsCategories:- 1842 births
- 1896 deaths
- Governors of Dakota Territory
- Governors of South Dakota
- Indiana University alumni
- American Lutherans
- People from South Dakota
- People from Muncie, Indiana
- People of Indiana in the American Civil War
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