Asa S. Bushnell

Asa Smith Bushnell (born September 16, 1834 in Rome , Oneida County , New York , † January 15, 1904 in Springfield , Ohio ) was an American politician and from 1896 to 1900 the 40th governor of the state of Ohio.

Early Years and Economic Advancement in Ohio

Asa Bushnell attended local schools in his home country. As a teenager, he moved to Springfield, Ohio. There he worked in a shop. Three years later he became an accountant in a reputable company and in 1857 he became a partner of his father-in-law who ran a pharmacy. His business career was interrupted in 1864 by his participation in the Civil War. In the army, he made it to the captain .

A few years after the war, he and a partner founded a company that sold mowers. These items were in great demand in the agricultural area. Bushnell's flourishing trade soon made him a wealthy businessman who expanded his interests to other areas. Over time he became involved in both banking and the railroad. At times he was even President of the First National Bank of Springfield and the Springfield Gas Company . He also held stakes in some industrial companies. When telephone companies and trams emerged towards the end of the 19th century, Bushnell was also involved in such companies.

Political career

Bushnell was a member of the Republican Party . In 1882 he was elected to Springfield City Council. In 1885 he was the campaign manager of Joseph B. Foraker , who was elected governor of Ohio that year. In the same year he was Chairman of the Republicans in Ohio. In 1895, with the assistance of Foraker, he was nominated as a Republican candidate for gubernatorial election. In the actual election, he managed to beat former Governor James E. Campbell , Democratic Party candidate .

Asa Bushnell took up his new office on January 13, 1896. After being re-elected in 1897, he could exercise it until January 8, 1900. During his tenure, Ohio introduced the Civil Service Merit System for the public sector. Occupational health and safety laws have been improved and the so-called Valentine Anti-Trust Act has been passed. This law, which was directed against the monopoly groups, prohibited price fixing, among other things. The practices of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company have also been investigated. During Bushnell's tenure, the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898 . Bushnell supported the war and took pride in the fact that Ohio was the first state to form a volunteer regiment.

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, Bushnell withdrew from politics. But he continued to do business. Asa Bushnell died on January 15, 1904. He was married to Ellen Ludlow, with whom he had three children.

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personal data
SURNAME	Bushnell, Asa S.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Bushnell, Asa Smith (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	September 16, 1834
PLACE OF BIRTH	Rome , New York
DATE OF DEATH	January 15, 1904
Place of death	Springfield , Ohio