Edwin Willits
Encyclopedia
Edwin Willits was a politician from the U.S. State
of Michigan
.
Willits was born in Otto, New York
and moved to Michigan with his parents in September 1836. He graduated from the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor
in June 1855. The following April he settled in Monroe, Michigan
where he was editor of the Monroe Commercial from 1856 to 1861. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
in December 1857 and commenced practice in Monroe. He married Jane Ingersoll and was a Presbyterian.
Willits served as prosecuting attorney of Monroe County
from 1860 to 1862 and was a member of the State board of education from 1860 to 1872. He was appointed postmaster of Monroe on January 1, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln
, and removed by President Andrew Johnson
on October 15, 1866. He was a member of the commission to revise the Michigan Constitution
in 1873.
In 1876, Willits was elected as a Republican
from Michigan's 2nd congressional district
to the 45th United States Congress
and subsequently re-elected to the 46th
, and 47th
Congresses, serving from March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1883. During the Forty-seventh Congress he was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Justice. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1882.
Willits was principal of the Michigan State Normal School
at Ypsilanti
from 1883 to 1885. He served as president of the State Agricultural College
from 1885 to 1889. In Grover Cleveland
's first administration, he served as the first Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under Norman Jay Colman
from March 23, 1889 to December 31, 1893.
Willits continued the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
, until his death there. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery
in Monroe, Michigan.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
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"....
.
Willits was born in Otto, New York
Otto, New York
Otto is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 831 at the 2000 census. The name comes from Jacob S. Otto, an agent of the Holland Land Company.The Town of Otto lies on the northern border of the county.- History :...
and moved to Michigan with his parents in September 1836. He graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at 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 June 1855. The following April he settled in Monroe, Michigan
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
where he was editor of the Monroe Commercial from 1856 to 1861. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in December 1857 and commenced practice in Monroe. He married Jane Ingersoll and was a Presbyterian.
Willits served as prosecuting attorney of Monroe County
Monroe County, Michigan
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 2010 population is 152,021. The largest city and county seat is Monroe. The U.S. Census Bureau defines all of Monroe County as conterminous with the Monroe Metropolitan Area...
from 1860 to 1862 and was a member of the State board of education from 1860 to 1872. He was appointed postmaster of Monroe on January 1, 1863, by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, and removed by President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
on October 15, 1866. He was a member of the commission 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....
in 1873.
In 1876, Willits was elected as a Republican
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...
from Michigan's 2nd congressional district
Michigan's 2nd congressional district
Michigan's 2nd congressional district is a United States Congressional district in Western Michigan. It consists of the counties of Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Ottawa, and the northern portion of Allegan and the northwest portion of Kent. The 2nd district has...
to the 45th United States Congress
45th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:-Leadership:-Senate:*President: William A. Wheeler *President pro tempore: Thomas W. Ferry -House of Representatives:*Speaker: Samuel J. Randall -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
and subsequently re-elected to the 46th
46th United States Congress
The Forty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
, and 47th
47th United States Congress
The Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
Congresses, serving from March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1883. During the Forty-seventh Congress he was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Justice. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1882.
Willits was principal of the Michigan State Normal School
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
at Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
from 1883 to 1885. He served as president of the State Agricultural College
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
from 1885 to 1889. In Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
's first administration, he served as the first Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under Norman Jay Colman
Norman Jay Colman
Norman Jay Colman was a politician, newspaper publisher, and the first United States Secretary of Agriculture....
from March 23, 1889 to December 31, 1893.
Willits continued the practice of law in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, until his death there. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery
Woodland Cemetery (Monroe, Michigan)
Woodland Cemetery, formerly known as Grove Cemetery and Woodlawn Cemetery, is a public, city-owned cemetery located at 428 Jerome Street in southeast Monroe, Michigan. It occupies 10 acres and contains over 6,500 graves. Founded in 1810, it is one of Michigan’s oldest public cemeteries...
in Monroe, Michigan.