John Adams Dix

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John Adams Dix
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John Adams Dix (born July 24, 1798 in Boscawen , Merrimack County , New Hampshire , † April 21, 1879 in New York City ) was an American politician, senator , treasury secretary , army general and governor of the state of New York .

Before the civil war

Childhood and youth

John Adams Dix was the third child of Timothy Dix, a major in the US 14th Infantry Regiment, and grew up with 5 siblings. Up to the age of twelve he attended a school in Salisbury , New Hampshire, the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter , New Hampshire and in 1811/1812 the College of Montreal.

military service

At the age of 14, Dix joined the U.S. Army as a cadet, was promoted to ensign, and took part in combat operations along the Canadian border during the War of 1812 . After the war, he served in the 21st Infantry Regiment at Fort Constitution , New Hampshire, and was promoted to lieutenant in March 1814 . In 1819 Dix became aide-de-camp of the commander in the defense area north. 1825 Captain transported, he studied in New York City and Washington, DC law and was admitted in the capital as a lawyer. In 1826 Dix married Catherine Morgan, the daughter of Congressman John J. Morgan , who got him a foreign assignment in Denmark. Upon his return, Dix was transferred to Fort Monroe , Virginia . There he resigned from service on July 29, 1828 for health reasons.

Political career

After Dix's marriage, his father-in-law made him the manager of his estate in Cooperstown , New York. After his release from military service, Dix opened a law firm there. In 1830 Dix moved to Albany , New York, and was appointed State Adjutant General by New York Governor Enos T. Throop . During this time, Dix joined the Democratic Party and soon became one of its most influential leaders. Under Governor William L. Marcy he was Secretary of the Interior of New York from 1833 to 1838 . He was also the director of the state school inspectorate.

Dix published the literary and scientific journal The Northern Journal from 1841 to 1843 . In 1842 he was elected as a member of the state parliament. In 1842 Dix traveled to Europe for two years and wrote a book about this trip.

Senator from New York

Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company share dated September 24, 1856 signed by John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix in his younger years

On January 27, 1845, Dix was elected Senator to succeed Henry A. Foster . There he occupied himself with international affairs and expansion to the west until 1849, while countering the spread of slavery in the newly won territories. The latter earned him opposition from the Southern Democrats.

In 1848 he ran as a candidate for the Free Soil Party for the first time for governor of New York, but lost to Hamilton Fish in the elections . From 1853 to 1854 he was supported by President Franklin Pierce as treasurer (Treasurer) appointed in New York City. In addition to his many military and political offices, he was president of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad and the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad from 1854 to 1857 . Between 1860 and 1861 he was the postmaster of New York City.

Dix had seven children who were born between 1827 and 1847. Only three survived.

Minister of Finance under President Buchanan

On January 15, 1861, he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President James Buchanan, succeeding Philip F. Thomas . However, he held this office for just under two months until the end of Buchanan's term on March 4, 1861.

During the tense situation that led to the Civil War on April 12, 1861 , as Treasury Secretary he sent a telegram to the commander of a customs cutter in New Orleans with the following words:

"If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot."

"If anyone tries to drop the American flag, shoot them on the spot."

- John Adams Dix : website

This telegram did not reach the commandant, however, because the cutter had since been captured by the Confederate Navy . Nevertheless, the saying was published in the press and later minted on coins in a slightly modified form .

Civil war

Fight between government forces and insurgents during the Draft Riots in July 1863

At the beginning of the Civil War on April 12, 1861, Dix was chairman of the Union Defense Committee in New York. In that capacity, he ordered national defense measures worth two million dollars. At the same time he was promoted to major general as commander of the New York state militias . President Lincoln's first request to the states to raise troops for the Union, he met with 17 regiments (approx. 17,000 men).

A little later, Dix was reactivated despite his age of 63 years and in June 1861 promoted to major general of the army volunteer organization. In the summer of 1861, he was appointed in command of the Maryland Military Area. Its main task was to prevent Maryland from leaving the Union.

In June 1862, Dix became the commandant of Fort Monroe . With DH Hill he concluded the agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war (Dix-Hill-Cartel) on July 22, 1862 .

In July 1863, Dix was appointed in command of the Defense Area East and had a significant part in putting down the violent riots in New York. At the same time he was from 1863 to 1866 president of the Union Pacific Railroad . During this time the construction of the transcontinental railroad between Omaha and Sacramento began . In July 1865 he was retired from military service.

After the civil war

In August 1866, Dix became president of the National Union Convention , whose main task after the death of President Lincoln was to find support for the new President Andrew Johnson .

In the same year he succeeded John Bigelow as envoy in France . Upon his return, he became President of the Erie Railroad in 1872 .

Since joining the Republican Party , Dix was elected Governor of New York State in 1872. Although he successfully fought the corruption that arose during his predecessors, he was not re-elected. A candidacy for mayor of New York City also failed in 1876 against the Democratic candidate Smith Ely .

Other offices

From Trinity Church, Dix was elected ward representative in 1849 and in 1872 the ward's auditor. He was also a delegate of the Diocese of New York and a member of the General Assembly of the Episcopal Church.

Dix was educated and fluent in several languages. He was a good speaker and published a number of books, studies, essays and translations. He died in New York on April 21, 1879.

The US Army named a base in New Jersey, Fort Dix , after him.

Publications

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Historical Person Search. ancestry.com, 2013, accessed September 22, 2013 (family).
  2. ^ State Adjutant General means the post of commander of all military forces in the state. In addition, he is responsible to the federal government for the use of the budget funds made available by the federal government for the state.
personal data
SURNAME Dix, John Adams
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American officer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH July 24, 1798
PLACE OF BIRTH Boscawen , New Hampshire
DATE OF DEATH April 21, 1879
Place of death New York City