Coles Bashford

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Coles Bashford

Coles Bashford (born January 24, 1816 in Cold Spring , New York , †  April 25, 1878 in Prescott , Arizona ) was an American lawyer and politician and from 1856 to 1858 the fifth governor of the state of Wisconsin .

Early years

Bashford attended Wesleyan University in Lima, New York. After studying law and being admitted to the bar, he began his new profession in the town of Clyde . He was also a district attorney in Wayne County between 1857 and 1850 . In 1850, Bashford moved to Wisconsin and practiced law in Algoma, now part of Oshkosh . Back then, Bashford was a member of the Whig Party . Between 1851 and 1855 he was a member of the Wisconsin Senate . Around the same time, the Whigs disbanded, and Bashford became a co-founder of the Wisconsin Republican Party , which made him their top candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election in 1855. His opponent was the scandal-ridden incumbent William A. Barstow .

Controversial elections

Despite allegations of corruption against him, William Barstow ran for re-election as governor in 1855. The first election result saw Barstow with a lead of 157 votes as the election winner over Bashford. It soon became clear that this result was the result of electoral fraud. Republicans called the Supreme Court to protest this move while Barstow was inducted into his second term. Now there were protests against the governor, who mobilized his supporters. There was almost a civil war in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court upheld the lawsuit. But since Barstow was unwilling to give up, the conflict escalated. However, under general pressure he had to resign on March 21, 1856. Until the official establishment of Bashford, Lieutenant Governor Arthur MacArthur had to officiate for four days. On March 25, Bashford could officially take up his new office.

Governor of wisconsin

As governor, Bashford quickly came under suspicion of corruption . In connection with the allocation of land to a railway company, he was bribed with shares and money. MPs and even a Supreme Court judge were also involved in the affair. All written evidence was burned by those involved. As a result of this scandal, Bashford was no longer nominated for the office of governor. His term of office ended on January 4, 1858. It is noteworthy that under his government, William Noland, the first African American to be appointed to public office.

Another résumé

Much like his predecessor Barstow, Bashford was not held responsible for his offenses. He was initially able to continue working as a lawyer before he was appointed Attorney General of the Arizona Territory by President Abraham Lincoln in December 1863 . He held this office until 1866. Between 1867 and 1869 he represented the territory as a delegate in the US House of Representatives . His last political office was from 1869 to 1876 as Secretary of State in Arizona. He died in 1878. Coles Bashford was married to Frances Adams Foreman, with whom he had seven children.

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personal data
SURNAME Bashford, Coles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH January 24, 1816
PLACE OF BIRTH Cold Spring , New York
DATE OF DEATH April 25, 1878
Place of death Prescott , Arizona