Frederick Low

Infobox Governor
name = Frederick Ferdinand Low


order = 9th
office = Governor of California
term_start =December 10, 1863
term_end =December 5, 1867
lieutenant = Tim M. Machin
predecessor = Leland Stanford
successor = Henry Huntly Haight
order2 = U.S. Representative from California
term_start2 = June 3 1862
term_end2 = March 3 1863
successor2 = Thomas Bowles Shannon
birth_date = birth date|1828|1|30|mf=y
birth_place = Frankfort, Maine
death_date = death date and age|1894|7|21|1828|1|30
death_place = San Francisco, California
party = Republican Unionist
spouse = Mollie Creed
profession = Banker, politician
religion =

Frederick Ferdinand Low (January 30, 1828ndash July 21, 1894) was an American politician, US congressman and governor of California.

Born in Frankfort (now Winterport, Maine) in 1828, Low attended the Hampden Academy in Hampden, Maine. Low moved to California and in the shipping business in San Francisco, California in 1849. Low became a banker in Marysville, California from 1854 from 1861.

Low presented credentials as a Republican Member-elect to the 37th Congress but was not permitted to take his seat until a special act of Congress was passed. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from June 3, 1862 to March 3, 1863.

Low was appointed in 1863 as collector of the Port of San Francisco prior to becoming governor of California from December 10, 1863 to December 5, 1867. He was the second California governor to the Stanford Mansion as the official residence and office until the opening of the California State Capitol building in 1869. [cite web |url=http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23472 |title=Stanford Mansion History |author=Department of Parks & Recreation|publisher=State of California |accessdate=2007-05-02] Low was California's last Civil War governor. Hallmarks of his administration were the establishment of Yosemite National Park and California State University system. [cite web |url=http://www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov/english/mm_library/media_items/m250_sm.html |title=Frederick Low, 9th Governor (1863-1867) |publisher=State of California |author=State Capitol Museum |accessdate=2007-05-03]

Low served as United States Minister to China from 1869 to 1874. He died in San Francisco in July 21, 1894. He is buried in the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma.

References

External links

* [http://www.californiagovernors.ca.gov/h/biography/governor_9.html Frederick Low biography] at the California State Library
*CongBio|L000469 Frederick Low