Alpheus Felch

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Alpheus Felch

Alpheus Felch (born September 28, 1804 in Limerick , York County , Massachusetts , † June 13, 1896 in Ann Arbor , Michigan ) was an American lawyer and politician and from 1846 to 1847 the fifth governor of the state of Michigan.

Early Years and Rise in Michigan

After the early death of his parents , Alpheus Felch, who was born in what is now Maine , grew up with his grandfather. He attended Phillips Academy in New Hampshire and then Bowdoin College until 1827 . After studying law and being admitted to the bar in 1830, he began to work in this profession in Houlton .

In 1833, Felch moved to Monroe , Michigan . There he also worked as a lawyer. As a member of the Democratic Party , he took part in political life in his new home. Between 1835 and 1837 he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives . Then he was State Commissioner for the Banking System ( State Bank Commissioner ) until 1839 and Auditor General of his state for a few weeks in 1842 . Between 1842 and 1845 he was a judge on the Michigan Supreme Court . In 1845 he was elected as his party's candidate for the new governor.

Governor and senator

Felch's grave in Ann Arbor

Alpheus Felch took up his new office on January 5, 1846. During his tenure, the state capital was moved from Detroit to Lansing and some laws were revised. Just one year after his election as governor, Felch ran for the US Senate . After his successful election, he resigned on March 3, 1847, to take his seat in Congress . His early term as governor of Michigan was ended by Lieutenant Governor William L. Greenly .

Between 1847 and 1853, Felch served as a senator in Washington, DC . Then he was appointed by President Franklin Pierce to a commission to negotiate over outstanding border problems between the USA and Mexico . Felch remained a member of this commission until 1856. He then returned to Ann Arbor, where he practiced as a lawyer again. In 1856 he applied unsuccessfully to return to the office of governor. Between 1879 and 1883 Felch was a professor at the University of Michigan . He was married to Lucretia W. Lawrence, with whom he had four children.

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personal data
SURNAME Felch, Alpheus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 28, 1804
PLACE OF BIRTH Limerick , Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH June 13, 1896
Place of death Ann Arbor , Michigan