Robert Waterman

Robert Waterman (born December 15, 1826 in Fairfield , Herkimer County , New York , † April 12, 1891 in San Diego , California ) was an American politician and the 17th governor of California .

Life

youth

Young Waterman moved from New York to Illinois and became a shop owner and postal agent there . In 1849 the gold rush caught him . He decided to go to California to make his fortune there. He set off with a team of oxen. He tried it first as a prospector and then again as a shop owner. Eventually he went back to Illinois, where he co-founded the Republican Party in 1854 . In 1856 he was the second delegate from Illinois to the first Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, alongside Abraham Lincoln . In the presidential election in 1860, he helped Lincoln to win the election in Illinois.

California politician

Returning to California, he succeeded in a gold mine that earned him $ 50,000 a day. Then he ran an even more successful silver mine with a partner and finally bought a profitable gold mine. On the edge, he was also involved in the railroad business by participating in the expansion of a railway line. He was also politically active. Under Governor Washington Bartlett , he became his lieutenant governor . Bartlett died after nine months in office and Waterman fell to the office of governor, which he held until the end of the 1891 legislature. His nickname was "Old Honesty", in German about "The Honorable". He earned this name for his principles: he detested dishonesty, drunkenness and waste. He criticized the state legislature for employing 228 people, although only 35 posts were intended for it. A major point of contention during his tenure was whether California should be divided. This plan was eventually abandoned.

Old age and death

Waterman resigned in January 1891 after declining to run again on health grounds. There wasn't much time left for his retirement. He died in San Diego just a few weeks later on April 12 of the same year. He was married to Jane Gardner since 1847. The couple had a total of six children (three sons and three daughters).

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personal data
SURNAME	Waterman, Robert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician, 17th Governor of California
DATE OF BIRTH	December 15, 1826
PLACE OF BIRTH	Fairfield , New York
DATE OF DEATH	April 12, 1891
Place of death	San Diego , California