William Gilpin

William Gilpin (born October 4, 1813 in Wilmington , Delaware , † January 20, 1894 in Denver , Colorado ) was an American politician and from 1861 to 1862 the first governor of the Colorado Territory .

Early years

William Gilpin had a two year upbringing in England . On his return he studied at the University of Pennsylvania . He later attended the US Military Academy at West Point . In the late 1830s he took part in the Seminole Wars as an officer in the US Army .

Explorer and pioneer

In 1843 he was one of the participants in an expedition under the command of John C. Frémont . This was commissioned to explore a route across the Rocky Mountains to California . When the expedition reached Walla Walla , Gilpin separated from Frémont and his crew, who moved on to California. He went to the Oregon Territory , where he helped establish a Territorial Government. He was then assigned to bring a message to Washington, DC for assistance and submit it to Congress . He then wrote newspaper articles about the West, which strengthened the American West movement of those years. During the Mexican-American War , Gilpin fought as a major in the ranks of the US Army. After the war ended, Gilpin became a Missouri lawyer in 1848 . When gold was discovered in Colorado in 1859, he wrote again some writings in which he described Colorado in the most beautiful colors.

Territorial governor and further curriculum vitae

In 1861, Gilpin, who was a member of the Republican Party, was named the first governor of the newly formed Colorado Territory by President Abraham Lincoln . Back then, at the start of the Civil War , Colorado was threatened by both Confederate forces and troubled Indians. In order to be able to contain the threat, he recruited his own militia . He billed the federal government the cost of about $ 375,000. It soon became apparent, however, that the government had neither given its consent to these expenses, nor was they willing to cover the costs. This led to riots in Colorado and ultimately to the dismissal of the governor.

In 1863 Gilpin and some foreign investors bought up a lot of land in southeast Colorado ( The Sangre de Cristo Land Grant ). The residents there were asked by the new masters to leave this area. This resulted in a legal dispute that has not yet been fully resolved by the descendants of those involved at the time. William Gilpin died in Denver in 1894.

Web links

Commons : William Gilpin - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

personal data
SURNAME	Gilpin, William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	October 4, 1813
PLACE OF BIRTH	near Wilmington , Delaware
DATE OF DEATH	January 20, 1894
Place of death	Denver , Colorado