Alvin Peterson Hovey

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Alvin Peterson Hovey

Alvin Peterson Hovey (born September 6, 1821 in Mount Vernon , Posey County , Indiana , †  November 23, 1891 in Indianapolis , Indiana) was an American politician and from 1889 to 1891 the 21st  governor of the state of Indiana.

Early years

Alvin Hovey attended elementary schools in his home country. After studying law and becoming a lawyer, he opened a law firm in Mount Vernon in 1842. When the Mexican-American War broke out , he became First Lieutenant in the US Army . However, he did not come to combat missions. In 1850, Hovey was a delegate to a meeting to revise the Indiana Constitution. Between 1850 and 1854 he was a member of a county court in Indiana and from 1854 to 1855 he was a judge on the state's highest court. He then served as a federal attorney in the Indiana district for two years ; in this role he succeeded Benjamin Thomas. Until 1858 he was a member of the Democratic Party , then he switched to the Republicans , who nominated him for a seat in Congress in 1858 . But Hovey was defeated in the election to the Democrat William E. Niblack .

Civil war activities

During the Civil War he rose Union army from Colonel until the regular Brigadier General and then to the Brevet - Major General on. He took part in a few battles. He was there at the siege of Vicksburg in 1863. Here he gained military recognition from General Ulysses S. Grant . He also took part in the first part of the Atlanta campaign in 1864 . Then he became the military commander for the Indiana district. Here he recruited 10,000 soldiers at the request and with the help of Governor Oliver Morton .

Further political career

After the war, Hovey was appointed United States Ambassador to Peru . He stayed there between 1865 and 1870. He then worked again as a lawyer. Between 1887 and 1889, Hovey was a member of the United States House of Representatives in Washington . In 1888 he was elected the new governor of Indiana by a narrow margin over the Democrat Courtland C. Matson . Hovey took office on January 14, 1889. During his tenure, an electoral reform was carried out, which also introduced secret elections in Indiana. In the school system, preparations were made for the introduction of free textbooks.

Alvin Hovey could not finish his four-year term: He died on November 23, 1891, in the middle of the legislative period. Hovey was married twice and had four children in total.

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personal data
SURNAME Hovey, Alvin Peterson
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 6, 1821
PLACE OF BIRTH Mount Vernon , Posey County , Indiana
DATE OF DEATH November 23, 1891
Place of death Indianapolis , Indiana