John J. Bagley

John Judson Bagley (born July 24, 1832 in Medina , Orleans County , New York , † December 27, 1881 in San Francisco ) was an American politician and the 16th governor of Michigan from 1873 to 1877 .

Early years

John Bagley attended schools in Lockport, New York State , until he was eight . Then he moved with his father to Constantine , Michigan, where he attended local schools. Due to the poor financial situation of the family, John had to earn his own money at an early age. At the age of 13 he became an employee in a store in Constantine. After his father moved to Owosso , John worked in a shop again. It was then that he became interested in literature and read many books in his spare time. After moving again in 1847, Bagley settled in Detroit . There he was employed in a tobacco shop. He bought this business seven years later and turned it into the Mayflower Tobacco Company, a thriving company that manufactured tobacco products.

Rise in Michigan

Over the years, John Bagley expanded his business into other areas. He was active in the mining business as well as in banking and insurance. Between 1867 and 1872 he was president of an insurance company he founded. Politically, John Bagley was a founding member of the Republican Party . In 1855 he was elected to the Detroit School Board for three years. Between 1860 and 1861 he was on the city council. Between 1865 and 1872 Bagley was on the board of directors of the Detroit Police Department ( Detroit Board of Police Commissioners ). From 1868 to 1870 he was also the state chairman of the Republicans in Michigan, as their candidate he was elected the new governor of his country in 1872.

Michigan governor

John Bagley took up his new office on January 1, 1873 and, after being re-elected in 1874, could remain in office until January 3, 1877. During this time, Bagley passed a law on the taxation of alcoholic beverages ( Liquor Tax Law ). Bagley himself was a supporter of the prohibition movement. Railroad control laws were improved and a nationwide health committee was established. A state fisheries commission was also set up. Both the school system and the charitable institutions have also been improved. The state militia was restructured and was officially given the name "National Guard". The youth penal system has also been improved.

Another résumé

After the end of his tenure, Bagley remained politically active. In 1880 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate . He died in December 1881. He was married to Frances E. Newberry, with whom he had eight children.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• Bagley at the National Governors Association (English)
• John J. Bagley in the database of Find a Grave (English)