William J. McConnell

William J. McConnell

William John McConnell (born September 18, 1839 in Commerce , Oakland County , Michigan , † March 30, 1925 in Moscow , Idaho ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Idaho from 1893 to 1897 . Between 1890 and 1891 he represented his state in the US Senate .

Early years and political advancement

William McConnell attended public schools in his home in Michigan. In 1860 he moved to California , where he worked in mining, ranching, trading and banking, among other things. From 1862 to 1863 he was a teacher in Yamhill County , Oregon . Between 1865 and 1867 he was US Deputy Marshal in the Idaho Territory . He then moved back to Oregon, where he worked in ranching. McConnell joined the Republican Party . In 1882 he was a member and President of the Oregon Senate . In 1886 he returned to what is now Idaho, where he settled in the city of Moscow and worked as a trader. In 1890 he was a member of the Idaho Constituent Assembly.

US Senator and Governor

After Idaho joined the United States as a state, McConnell was elected the first Class 3 Senator in Congress . There he served with George Laird Shoup , who occupied the other Senate seat of the new state. McConnell was only able to exercise the mandate between December 18, 1890 and March 3, 1891. On that day, the Class 3 senators' term ended and McConnell had not run for another term.

In 1892 he was elected as his party's candidate for governor of Idaho. After re-election in 1894, he was able to exercise this office between January 1, 1893 and January 4, 1897. During his tenure, Idaho gave women the right to vote and two new state schools were established. A new law regulated irrigation rights in the state and workers were legally granted the right to join trade unions.

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, William McConnell was appointed Indian commissioner of the federal government by President William McKinley . He held this post between 1897 and 1901. From 1909 until his death in 1925 he was employed by the Moscow Immigration Service. William McConnell had five children with his wife Louisa Brown.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• William McConnell at the National Governors Association (English)
• William J. McConnell in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• William J. McConnell in the database of Find a Grave (English)