Roswell K. Colcord

Roswell Keyes Colcord (April 25, 1839 – October 30, 1939) was an American politician. He served as the seventh Governor of Nevada from 1891 to 1895. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Roswell K. Colcord
7th Governor of Nevada
In office January 5, 1891 – January 7, 1895
Lieutenant	Joseph Poujade
Preceded by	Frank Bell
Succeeded by	John E. Jones
Personal details
Born	(1839-04-25)April 25, 1839 Searsport, Maine, U.S.
Died	October 30, 1939(1939-10-30) (aged 100) Carson City, Nevada, U.S.
Resting place	Lone Mountain Cemetery, Carson City
Political party	Republican

Biography

Colcord was born on April 25, 1839 in Searsport, Maine. He attended public schools where he studied Mechanical Engineering and he found work in a shipyard as a carpenter. He married Mary E. Hopkins on April 28, 1868, in Virginia City, Nevada, and they had three children, Stella, Harry, and Ethel.[1]

Career

Colcord moved west to California in 1856, to Aurora, Nevada in 1860, and to Virginia City, Nevada in 1863. He became a successful mining engineer. He also set up a law practice and became one of the top attorneys in the state. He was also involved in the building of bridges and mills.[2] He was selected as a commissioner to represent Nevada at the Paris Expedition in 1889.

Elected as governor in 1890, Colcord strengthened the state's economy and also signed the state's first admissions day bill. He was the first Nevada governor to support Women's Suffrage.[3] During his tenure, a state board of health was established, a mechanical engineering department was initiated in the University of Nevada, and a first state board of equalization was authorized.[4]

After his term as governor, Colcord was named Superintendent of the United States Mint's Carson City Mint, a position he held from 1898 to 1911. At that time, the Mint did not produce money, but was a shipping point for bullion.

Death

Colcord was in relatively good health at the time of his death on October 30, 1939, at the age of 100 in Carson City, Nevada. He is interred at the Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City, Nevada.[5]

References

1. "Nevada's First Ladies". Nevada's First Ladies. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
2. "Roswell K. Colcord". The Encyclopedia of Nevada. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
3. "Roswell K. Colcord". History of Nevada.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
4. "Roswell K. Colcord". National Governors Association. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
5. "Roswell K. Colcord". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 28 September 2012.

External links

• Roswell K. Colcord at Find a Grave
• Nevada State Library and Archives
• Roswell K. Colcord, at The Political Graveyard
• The Encyclopedia of Nevada
• Nevada's First Ladies
• National Governors Association

Party political offices
Preceded by Charles C. Stevenson	Republican nominee for Governor of Nevada 1890	Succeeded by Theodore Winters
Political offices
Preceded by Frank Bell	Governor of Nevada 1891 – 1895	Succeeded by John E. Jones
Honorary titles
Preceded by Adelbert Ames	Oldest living United States governor April 12, 1933 – October 30, 1939	Succeeded by Martin F. Ansel
Preceded by Nathaniel S. Berry	Oldest United States governor ever February 2, 1937 – June 5, 1977	Succeeded by Nellie Tayloe Ross