William F. Packer

William Packer

William Fisher Packer (born April 2, 1807 in Center County , Pennsylvania , † September 27, 1870 in Williamsport , Pennsylvania) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) and from 1858 to 1861 the 14th governor of the state of Pennsylvania.

Early years and political advancement

After primary school, Packer studied law. But his great interest has always been in journalism. After a seven-year apprenticeship in printing and press, he became co-owner of the newspaper "Lycoming Gazette", which appeared in Williamsport and was close to the Democratic Party. Between 1829 and 1836 he stayed with this newspaper. Then he was one of the co-founders of the Keystone Gazette, a newspaper in Harrisburg that was also democratically minded .

Among other things, Packer had supported the Democratic governor David Rittenhouse Porter . This reciprocated after his election with the appointment of Packer as sewer commissioner of the state of Pennsylvania. He held this office from 1839 to 1842. Between 1842 and 1845 he was head of the Auditor General of Pennsylvania. He also became president of the Susquehanna Railroad Railway Company. In the following years he was both in the House of Representatives - where he temporarily served as a speaker - and in the Senate of Pennsylvania . In 1856 he supported James Buchanan's presidential campaign . In 1857 he was elected the new governor of his state. This would be the last Democratic victory in Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections by 1883.

Governor of Pennsylvania

William Packer took up his new office on January 19, 1858. As governor, he continued the sale of the state's shares in the canals and railways begun by his predecessor James Pollock . He also continued the school policy of his predecessor. At that time, a law was passed that obliged the state banks not to put more money into circulation than the sums backed by collateral.

Packer's tenure as governor ended on January 15, 1861, shortly before the outbreak of the civil war . In the run-up to the war, Packer worked unsuccessfully for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Then he withdrew into private life. William Packer died in September 1870. He was married to Mary W. Vanderbelt, with whom he had ten children.

Web links

• William F. Packer in the database of the National Governors Association (English)
• The governors of Pennsylvania (English)

• William F. Packer in the database of Find a Grave (English)