Milton Latham

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Milton Latham

Milton Slocum Latham (born May 23, 1827 in Columbus , Ohio , † March 4, 1882 in New York City , New York ) was an American politician. He represented his state in both houses of Congress and was the sixth governor of California .

Youth and early years

Latham graduated in 1845 the Jefferson College in Washington ( Pennsylvania ). After moving to Alabama , he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848. After serving two years on the Russell County Court of Appeals , he decided to move to San Francisco in 1850 . There he was first clerk at the local court; as early as 1851 he was a district attorney in Sacramento .

politics

Just a year later, he decided to go into politics. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party and served there between March 4, 1853 and March 3, 1855, a legislative term, but then renounced a new candidacy. Upon his return to California , President Franklin Pierce appointed him Customs Inspector at the Port of San Francisco - a position he was reluctant to accept but held until 1857. In the late 1850s, the California Democratic Party was split into two opposing camps due to the general political situation in the United States on the eve of the Civil War . The South Wing of the Democrats nominated Latham as a candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election in 1859. After a turbulent election campaign, he finally won with a majority of 60 percent of the vote. On January 9, 1860, he was introduced to his new office. In the meantime Latham had already decided not to keep it for long. During the election campaign, US Senator David C. Broderick was shot dead in a duel and Latham decided to take his seat in the Senate. The California House of Representatives agreed and Latham resigned as governor on January 14, 1860. That meant he was in office for exactly five days, the shortest term of office of a California governor ever. Latham now took his seat in the US Senate and ended between March 5, 1860 and March 3, 1863 the legislative period started by Broderick. In 1862 he was no longer re-elected.

Old age and death

After ending his political career in Washington, DC , he toured Europe and got into banking in San Francisco. In the late 1860s and 1870s, he helped fund the California Pacific and North Pacific Coast Railways, becoming a railroad baron. In 1879 he moved to New York City and became President of the New York Mining and Stock Exchange . He died there on March 4, 1882 at the age of 54.

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personal data
SURNAME Latham, Milton
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Latham, Milton Slocum
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH May 23, 1827
PLACE OF BIRTH Columbus , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH March 4, 1882
Place of death New York City