- Stephen S. Harding
Infobox_Governor
name = Stephen S. Harding
order = 4th
title = Governor of Utah Territory
term_start = 1862
term_end = 1863
predecessor =John W. Dawson
successor =James Duane Doty
order2 =
title2 =
term_start2 =
term_end2 =
predecessor2 =
successor2 =
birth_date =February 28 ,1808
birth_place = Palmyra, New York
death_date =February 12 ,1891
death_place =Milan, Indiana
party = Liberal Party
spouse =
profession =Politician ,Attorney
religion = |Stephen Selwyn Harding (
February 28 ,1808 –February 12 ,1891 ) was the Governor of theUtah Territory for the Liberal Party in 1862 and 1863 and was chief justice of theColorado Supreme Court from 1863 to 1865. Harding was an ardentabolitionist .Early years
Harding was born in Palmyra,
New York onFebruary 28 1808 , the eldest son of David and Abigail Harding. In 1820 he moved with his family toRipley County, Indiana . He studied law in the office of William R. Morris inBrookville, Indiana and became licensed to practice law onMarch 17 ,1828 . He then opened a law office inRichmond, Indiana which remained open for six months when he opened one inVersailles, Indiana . He married Avoline Sprout on October 31, 1830. The couple had ten children.Political career
He stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana in 1842 and for Governor of Indiana in 1846. He was appointed Governor of Utah Territory by
Abraham Lincoln in 1862. Soon after he took office he issued a blanket pardon for allMorrisites convicted in connection with theMorrisite War . He also initially tried to appease theMormon community but soon became critical of church leaders and the practice ofplural marriage . This resulted in a successful petition for his removal from office. He was then appointed as U.S. consul atValparaiso, Chile ; he decided instead, for domestic reasons, to serve as chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. In 1865 he was removed from office for alleged incompetence and immorality. He died onFebruary 12 ,1891 in Milan,Ripley County, Indiana and was buried in Old Milan Cemetery.External links
* [http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/lilly/mss/html/harding.html The Manuscripts of S.S. Harding]
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