John Jay Gosper was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and businessman who served as Secretary of State of Nebraska

Secretary of State of Nebraska

The Secretary of State of Nebraska is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Nebraska. In Nebraska, the Secretary of State is elected for a four-year term. Vacancies are fill by appointment by the Governor....

 and Secretary of Arizona Territory

Arizona Territory

The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....

. Much of his service in Arizona was spent as Acting Governor due to Governor Frémont

John C. Frémont

John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...

's virtual abandonment of his post.

During the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, Gosper volunteered for service in the Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

. He reached the rank of colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 and lost his left leg in battle.
Following the war he moved to Nebraska and was elected Secretary of State.

Following his term in Nebraska, Gosper was appointed Secretary of Arizona Territory by President Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...

. He arrived in Arizona on May 30, 1877. Gosper served as territorial secretary under Governors Hoyt

John Philo Hoyt

John Philo Hoyt was an American politician and jurist. He served as the fourth Governor of Arizona Territory and was nominated to become Governor of Idaho Territory but declined the position...

 and Frémont. Gosper County, Nebraska

Gosper County, Nebraska

-History:Gosper County was formed in 1873. It was named after John J. Gosper, a Secretary of State of Nebraska.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,143 people, 863 households, and 655 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were...

is named in his honor.