Edward Tiffin

Edward Tiffin

Edward Tiffin (born June 19, 1766 in Carlisle , England , † August 9, 1829 in Ross County , Ohio ) was an American politician and from 1803 to 1807 the first governor of the state of Ohio.

Early years and political advancement

Edward Tiffin attended local schools in his English homeland and then studied medicine. In 1784 he emigrated to America. He completed his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Pennsylvania . He then practiced as a doctor in Charlestown. At the same time he was pastor of a Methodist parish (Methodist Episcopal Church) . In 1796 Tiffin moved to Chillicothe in Ross County in what is now Ohio, which was then part of the Northwest Territory . There he was also active as a doctor and preacher.

Tiffin's political rise began in 1799. That year he was elected to the territorial parliament, of which he became president. He held this mandate until 1802, when Ohio became a state of the United States. Tiffin also served as President of the Ohio Constituent Assembly in 1802. This made him so well known in the state that he was elected almost unchallenged as the first governor of the new state of Ohio . This was preceded by a dispute with the former Territorial Governor Arthur St. Clair over the date of Ohio's accession to the United States.

Ohio Governor and US Senator

Tiffin took up his new office on March 3, 1803. His first task was to set up a functioning administration. It was during this time that a conspiracy planned by Vice President Aaron Burr was uncovered . After Tiffin was elected to the United States Senate in 1806 , he resigned on March 4, 1807 from the office of governor.

From March 4, 1807 to March 3, 1809 Tiffin was a member of the Democratic Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson in the US Senate. He was then from 1809 to 1811 a member and speaker of the House of Representatives from Ohio . In the meantime he worked as a doctor again. In 1812 he was selected by President James Madison for the first head of the country contracting authority ( General Land Office ) appointed. He held this office until 1814. Then he was until 1829 as the successor to Josiah Meigs head of the land surveying authority in the Northwest Territory. He held this office until his dismissal by President Andrew Jackson in 1829. Edward Tiffin died in August of the same year. He was married twice and had five children.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 3, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Edward Tiffin in the National Governor Association (English)
• Edward Tiffin in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• Edward Tiffin in the Ohio Historical Society (English)

• Edward Tiffin in the database of Find a Grave (English)