Elisha P. Ferry

Elisha Peyre Ferry (born August 9, 1825 in Monroe , Michigan , † October 14, 1895 in Seattle , Washington ) was an American politician ( Republican Party ) and from 1889 to 1893 the first governor of the state of Washington. He had previously served as the 10th governor of the Washington Territory between 1872 and 1880 .

Early years

After elementary school, Ferry studied law. After graduating and admitted to the bar in Illinois , he began practicing law in Waukegan . He later also became mayor of that city. In 1861 he was a member of a commission to revise the Illinois Constitution. Between 1861 and 1863 he was a soldier in the American Civil War .

Advancement in Washington Territory

In 1869, Ferry was appointed Surveyor General in the Washington Territory by US President Ulysses S. Grant . In 1872 he was appointed the new territorial governor, an office that he held until 1880. In 1872 a border dispute with England was resolved. As a mediator, the German Emperor Wilhelm I decided that the San Juan Islands should belong to the United States. Then the British had to withdraw and the island fell to the USA and was annexed to the Washington Territory. In his further tenure as territorial governor and afterwards Ferry fought for the status of a US state for his territory. This goal was only achieved in 1889. After his tenure ended, he worked as a lawyer and vice president of a bank in Seattle.

Washington governor

In 1889 the Washington Territory became the 42nd state of the USA. With that, Ferry had achieved this long-cherished goal. He was elected the first governor of the new state and took office on November 1, 1889. However, his tenure was overshadowed by his poor health. He therefore decided not to be re-elected.

Ferry's tenure ended on January 9, 1893. For health reasons, he withdrew from politics. He died of heart failure in Seattle in October 1895. Elisha Ferry was married to Sarah B. Kellogg, with whom he had twelve children.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Ferry, Elisha P.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Ferry, Elisha Peyre (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	August 9, 1825
PLACE OF BIRTH	Monroe , Michigan
DATE OF DEATH	October 14, 1895
Place of death	Seattle , Washington