Harrison Ludington

Harrison Ludington (July 30, 1812 – June 17, 1891) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the 13th Governor of Wisconsin and was the 20th and 22nd mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1]

Harrison Ludington
13th Governor of Wisconsin
In office January 3, 1876 – January 7, 1878
Lieutenant	Charles D. Parker
Preceded by	William Robert Taylor
Succeeded by	William E. Smith
20th and 22nd Mayor of Milwaukee
In office April 1873 – January 3, 1876
Preceded by	David G. Hooker
Succeeded by	Ammi R. Butler
In office April 1871 – April 1872
Preceded by	Joseph Phillips
Succeeded by	David G. Hooker
Personal details
Born	(1812-07-30)July 30, 1812 Kent, New York, U.S.
Died	June 17, 1891(1891-06-17) (aged 78) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Frances White (m. 1838; died 1873) Eve Macy (Tobey) (m. 1875; died 1904)
Relations	Nelson Ludington (brother) Henry Ludington (grandfather) Sybil Ludington (aunt) Ludington family
Children	9
Profession	businessman, politician

Ancestry

Harrison Ludington descended from William Ludington, an early American colonist, who settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1632, and died at the East Haven Iron Works, Connecticut Colony, in 1662 or 1663. His grandfather was Colonel Henry Ludington, a commanding officer of the volunteer 7th Regiment of the Dutchess County Militia, during the American Revolutionary War. Henry Ludington later became an aide to General George Washington. Henry's daughter, Sybil Ludington (1761–1839), was famous for risking her life when she was 16 years old to warn the American militia that British troops were burning Danbury, Connecticut.[2]

Biography

Ludington was born in Kent, Dutchess County, New York, the son of Frederick and Susannah (Griffeth) Ludington. Harrison received common (district) school education. He moved to Milwaukee in 1838. At the age of 24 he became a joint owner of a merchandising business with his uncle, Lewis Ludington. This general merchandising business was conducted out of Solomon Juneau's warehouse between years 1839–1851.[3] In 1851 he became involved in lumber business, operating in the northeastern part of the state. He was a member of the firm of Ludington, Wells (Daniel Wells, Jr.) and Van Schaick (Anthony G. Van Schaick). Ludington became an active developer in Milwaukee, where he began his political career. He served two terms as a Milwaukee alderman, three terms as Milwaukee's mayor, a position that he resigned from to serve as Wisconsin's governor. He defeated his predecessor William R. Taylor, Democrat, in November, 1875.[3] Ludington served as a governor of Wisconsin from 1876 to 1878.

Ludington married twice. His first wife was Frances White, whom he married on March 25, 1838 in Louisville, Kentucky. His second wife was a widow named Eve Mary Tobey; they married on June 7, 1875. He had six children.

Governor

In his capacity as governor, Harrison Ludington facilitated promotion of commercial activity. He also undid changes in the financial sector made by his predecessor. He stood against state regulation of railroads. Under his administration the infamous Potter law was repealed, which was supposed to drastically increase government intervention in the railroad business. He also replaced the railroad commission, made up of three members with powers of establishing rates for the railroads, by a single commissioner who lacked such authority.[3] Ludington declined renomination for the position of governor in 1879 due to pressure from younger members of the Republican party.[4]

Retirement

Following his decision not to pursue renomination for governorship, Ludington resigned from public affairs and devoted himself to conducting business. German-American artist Conrad W. Heyd painted his portrait in this period of his life.[3]

Ludington died on June 17, 1891, in Milwaukee and is interred in Forest Home Cemetery there.[5]

See also

• Nelson Ludington
• Henry Ludington
• James Ludington
• Lewis Ludington
• Ludington family

References

1. White 1904, p. 78.
2. "Sybil Ludington". www.historicpatterson.org.
3. "Online Museum Collections - Wisconsin Historical Society". www.wisconsinhistory.org.
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
5. "Historical People". Forest Home Cemetery. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2014.

Source

• White (1904). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. J.T. White.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• Harrison Ludington at Find a Grave

Party political offices
Preceded by Cadwallader C. Washburn	Republican nominee for Governor of Wisconsin 1875	Succeeded by William E. Smith
Political offices
Preceded by Joseph Phillips	Mayor of Milwaukee 1871 – 1872	Succeeded by David G. Hooker
Preceded by David G. Hooker	Mayor of Milwaukee 1873 – 1876	Succeeded by Ammi R. Butler
Preceded by William Robert Taylor	Governor of Wisconsin 1876 – 1878	Succeeded by William E. Smith