Charles Paine

Charles Paine

Charles Paine (born April 15, 1799 in Williamstown , Orange County , Vermont , † July 6, 1853 in Waco , Texas ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Vermont from 1841 to 1843 .

Early years

Charles Paine was the son of Elijah Paine , who represented the State of Vermont in the US Senate between 1795 and 1801 . Charles attended Harvard University . After completing his studies, he took part in his family's weaving mill. He ran this business until it was destroyed in a fire in 1848. Paine has also been involved in other endeavors such as a hotel and retail store. He was also involved in agriculture. He ceded some of his land in favor of schools and his parish. But his main business was the railroad. He was the founder of the Vermont Central Railroad and became its first president. The company went bankrupt in 1853 and Paine lost a large part of his property. He was given part of the blame for this bankruptcy.

Political career

Charles Paine became a member of the Whig Party . In Northfield , where he had since moved, he became a councilor. Between 1828 and 1829 he was an MP in the Vermont House of Representatives . In 1841 he was elected the new governor of his state after a narrow election by the legislature. The following year he was confirmed in this office in the gubernatorial elections. So he was between October 15, 1841 and October 13, 1843 governor of his state.

During his tenure, he enforced better controls to monitor public spending. He also advocated a school reform that would have united all school types under one system. But that could not be achieved politically. In 1843 he refused to run again.

Another résumé

After the end of his tenure, Paine returned to the railroad business. In 1853 he was exploring a route in Texas for the Southern Pacific Railroad . He fell ill with dysentery or a similar diarrheal disease, from which he died on July 6th in Waco.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Charles Paine in the National Governors Association (English)
• Charles Paine in the database of Find a Grave (English)