Charles Croswell
Encyclopedia
Charles Miller Croswell (October 31, 1825 – December 13, 1886) was the 17th Governor of the US state of Michigan
from 1877 to 1881.
descent. Some members of the Croswell family were connected with notable events in New York and Connecticut
, including Harry Croswell, a pro-Federalist newspaper editor, convicted of libel against President Thomas Jefferson
in a landmark case
in New York.
When Croswell was seven years old his mother and younger sister died of fever. A few months later his father accidentally drowned in the Hudson River
. Charles was taken in to live with the family of his mother's brother, Daniel Hicks.
when Croswell was age twelve. He learned the carpenter
's trade and also studied law. In 1846 he was appointed as Deputy Clerk of Lenawee County
. His uncle, Daniel, had been the first Register of Deeds for Lenawee County. In 1847, Hicks went to fight in the Mexican-American War. After returning from the war, Hicks went to Sault Ste. Marie
to be a collector of the port there and soon after died from the Yellow Fever
, which he had contracted in Mexico
. After this, Charles bought the house in Adrian that he had helped to build from his aunt for amount of $1700.00.
ticket for the position of County Clerk, but was defeated. In 1850, he was elected as a Whig to be Register of Deeds for the county in 1850 and was re-elected in 1852. Croswell was married in February 1852, to Miss Lucy M. Eddy, daughter of Morton and Wealthy Eddy, pioneers of Adrian. In 1854, he took part in the formation of the Republican Party
, where he was a member and Secretary of the convention held at Jackson, Michigan
.
In 1855 he formed a law partnership with Thomas M. Cooley
, who later became Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
. This partnership continued until 1859, when Cooley moved to Ann Arbor
. In 1862, Croswell was appointed the City Attorney of Adrian, and in the same year was elected mayor. In the general election in the fall of 1862, he was elected from the 10th District to the Michigan Senate
. He was re-elected from the 10th District in 1864 and from the 8th District in 1866. During this whole period he was President pro tempore and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
In 1867, Croswell was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention
to revise the Michigan Constitution
, and selected as the presiding officer. His wife, Lucy, died March 9, 1868, leaving one son and two daughters: Charles Morton, Hattie, and Lucy Elizabeth. In 1868, he was chosen an elector on the Republican Presidential ticket, casting, with his associates, the vote of the State of Michigan for Grant
and Colfax
. In 1872 he was elected from the Lenawee County 4th District to the Michigan House of Representatives, and made Speaker of the House. He also, for several years, served as Secretary of the State Board of Corrections and Charities, repeatedly visiting nearly all the poor-houses and jails of the state.
, for Governor of Michigan
, and was elected by a majority of 23,434 over his Democratic
competitor. He was re-nominated in 1878, and succeeded by a majority of 47,777 over his highest opponent. During his administration the public debt was greatly reduced; a policy adopted requiring the state institutions to keep within the limit of appropriations; laws enacted to provide more effectually for the punishment of corruption and bribery in elections; the State House of Correction at Ionia
and the Eastern Asylum for the Insane
at Pontiac
were opened, and the new capitol building
at Lansing
was completed and occupied. During his second term, he presided at the dedication of the capitol building and helped prevent great destruction of a riot in Jackson
.
In 1880, Croswell married his second wife, Elizabeth Musgrave, who was twenty-five years his junior.
Elizabeth later remarried to become Elizabeth Merrill and donated the Croswell home in Adrian to the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
. The home serves as the chapter offices.
The house in Adrian
, Michigan where he lived before his governorship was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site
in 1958 and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Governor Charles Croswell House
in 1972.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from 1877 to 1881.
Early life in New York
Croswell was born in Newburgh, New York, the only son of John and Sallie (née Hicks) Croswell. His father, who was of Scots-Irish extraction, was a paper maker, and carried on business in New York City. His ancestors on his mother's side were of KnickerbockerKnickerbocker
Knickerbocker, also spelled Knikkerbakker, Knickerbakker, Knickerbacker, is a surname that dates back to the early Dutch colonists in New York. In 1809, Washington Irving published his satirical A History of New York under the pseudonym "Diedrich Knickerbocker", and since that time "Knickerbocker"...
descent. Some members of the Croswell family were connected with notable events in New York and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, including Harry Croswell, a pro-Federalist newspaper editor, convicted of libel against President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in a landmark case
People v. Croswell
The People of the State of New York v. Harry Croswell , commonly known and cited as People v. Croswell, is an important case in the evolution of United States defamation law...
in New York.
When Croswell was seven years old his mother and younger sister died of fever. A few months later his father accidentally drowned in the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Charles was taken in to live with the family of his mother's brother, Daniel Hicks.
Early life in Michigan
In 1837, the family moved to Adrian, MichiganAdrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
when Croswell was age twelve. He learned the carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
's trade and also studied law. In 1846 he was appointed as Deputy Clerk of Lenawee County
Lenawee County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 98,890 people, 35,930 households, and 26,049 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile . There were 39,769 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile...
. His uncle, Daniel, had been the first Register of Deeds for Lenawee County. In 1847, Hicks went to fight in the Mexican-American War. After returning from the war, Hicks went to Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
to be a collector of the port there and soon after died from the Yellow Fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
, which he had contracted in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. After this, Charles bought the house in Adrian that he had helped to build from his aunt for amount of $1700.00.
Politics
In 1848, Croswell ran on the WhigWhig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
ticket for the position of County Clerk, but was defeated. In 1850, he was elected as a Whig to be Register of Deeds for the county in 1850 and was re-elected in 1852. Croswell was married in February 1852, to Miss Lucy M. Eddy, daughter of Morton and Wealthy Eddy, pioneers of Adrian. In 1854, he took part in the formation of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, where he was a member and Secretary of the convention held at Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
.
In 1855 he formed a law partnership with Thomas M. Cooley
Thomas M. Cooley
Thomas McIntyre Cooley, LL.D., was the 25th Justice and a Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, between 1864 and 1885. Born in Attica, New York, he was father to Charles Cooley, a distinguished American sociologist...
, who later became Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
. This partnership continued until 1859, when Cooley moved to Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. In 1862, Croswell was appointed the City Attorney of Adrian, and in the same year was elected mayor. In the general election in the fall of 1862, he was elected from the 10th District to the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
. He was re-elected from the 10th District in 1864 and from the 8th District in 1866. During this whole period he was President pro tempore and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
In 1867, Croswell was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
to revise the Michigan Constitution
Michigan Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Michigan is the governing document of the U.S. state of Michigan. It describes the structure and function of the state's government....
, and selected as the presiding officer. His wife, Lucy, died March 9, 1868, leaving one son and two daughters: Charles Morton, Hattie, and Lucy Elizabeth. In 1868, he was chosen an elector on the Republican Presidential ticket, casting, with his associates, the vote of the State of Michigan for Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
and Colfax
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax, Jr. was a United States Representative from Indiana , Speaker of the House of Representatives , and the 17th Vice President of the United States . To date, he is one of only two Americans to have served as both House speaker and vice president.President Ulysses S...
. In 1872 he was elected from the Lenawee County 4th District to the Michigan House of Representatives, and made Speaker of the House. He also, for several years, served as Secretary of the State Board of Corrections and Charities, repeatedly visiting nearly all the poor-houses and jails of the state.
Governor
In 1876 he was nominated by the Republican PartyMichigan Republican Party
The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party....
, for Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
, and was elected by a majority of 23,434 over his Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
competitor. He was re-nominated in 1878, and succeeded by a majority of 47,777 over his highest opponent. During his administration the public debt was greatly reduced; a policy adopted requiring the state institutions to keep within the limit of appropriations; laws enacted to provide more effectually for the punishment of corruption and bribery in elections; the State House of Correction at Ionia
Ionia, Michigan
Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
and the Eastern Asylum for the Insane
Clinton Valley Center
The Clinton Valley Center , located in Pontiac, Michigan, was the second oldest psychiatric hospital in Michigan. CVC, originally named the Eastern Michigan Asylum for the Insane, opened its doors on August 1, 1878. In 1911, the hospital changed its name to Pontiac State Hospital and was renamed...
at Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
were opened, and the new capitol building
Michigan State Capitol
The Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing in Ingham County...
at Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
was completed and occupied. During his second term, he presided at the dedication of the capitol building and helped prevent great destruction of a riot in Jackson
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
.
In 1880, Croswell married his second wife, Elizabeth Musgrave, who was twenty-five years his junior.
Retirement and death
Croswell died at the age of 61 in Adrian, almost six years after leaving office and three months before the birth of a daughter, who was named Sallie Hicks Croswell, after Croswell's mother. He is interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian.Elizabeth later remarried to become Elizabeth Merrill and donated the Croswell home in Adrian to the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
. The home serves as the chapter offices.
The house in Adrian
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, Michigan where he lived before his governorship was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site
Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is in charge of the listing of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of Michigan, including buildings, lighthouses, bridges, historic districts, and many other properties deemed important to the history of Michigan...
in 1958 and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Governor Charles Croswell House
Governor Charles Croswell House
The Governor Charles Croswell House is a building located at 228 North Broad Street in the city of Adrian in Lenawee County, Michigan. It was designated as a Michigan State Historic Site on February 19, 1958 and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 16, 1972...
in 1972.
General sources
- History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan: Volume I, 1879, page 310
- The Home of Charles Miller Croswell