Lyman U. Humphrey
Encyclopedia
Lyman Underwood Humphrey (July 25, 1844 – September 12, 1915) was the 11th Governor of Kansas
.
to Lyman and Elizabeth (Everhart) Humphrey, one of two sons born to the couple. His father was born in Connecticut
, but relocated to Deerfield, Ohio, where he purchased a tannery
formerly owned by Jesse Grant (father of Ulysses S. Grant
). Humphrey's father gave up the tannery business after several years and began to practice law. His father died in 1853 and through the influence of his mother, Humphrey received a common school education first in New Baltimore and then high school in Massillon, Ohio
. He left school in 1861 to join the 76th Ohio Infantry
.
. Humphrey rose quickly through the ranks and was promoted to first lieutenant. He participated in twenty-seven battles and skirmishes including Fort Donelson
, Shiloh
, Corinth
, the siege of Vicksburg
, Resaca
, and Atlanta
. The regiment participated in the march to the sea
and through the Carolinas to the battle of Bentonville
. At Ringgold Gap
on November 27, 1863, Humphrey was wounded but missed no duty due to the wound. He was mustered out with the regiment at Louisville, Kentucky
on July 19, 1865.
. They had two sons.
, Humphrey attended Mount Union College
for one year followed by a year in the law department of the University of Michigan
. Short on funds, Humphrey left school, but was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1868. He moved to Shelby County, Missouri where he became a teacher and newspaper editor of the Shelby County Herald. Humphrey was admitted to the Missouri bar in 1870.
The following year, Humphrey moved to Independence, Kansas
where he practiced law and started the South Kansas Tribune newspaper. He gave up the newspaper a year later and settled into the practice of law full time, until December 1872 when he helped found the Commercial Bank of Independence. Humphrey became the bank's president and helped reorganize the bank in 1891 as the Commercial National Bank. He continued with the bank until he was elected governor.
in the Kansas House of Representatives. Before his term expired, Humphrey was appointed lieutenant governor to fill the vacancy left by Melville J. Salter. During the regular election of 1878, he was elected to the same position by a margin of 40,000 votes. Humphrey completed his term as lieutenant governor and was elected to the Kansas Senate in 1884.
, who was tremendously popular. Humphrey was reelected to a second term in 1890.
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
.
Early life
Humphrey was born in New Baltimore, OhioMarlboro Township, Stark County, Ohio
Marlboro Township is one of the seventeen townships of Stark County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,227 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
to Lyman and Elizabeth (Everhart) Humphrey, one of two sons born to the couple. His father was born in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, but relocated to Deerfield, Ohio, where he purchased a tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
formerly owned by Jesse Grant (father of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
). Humphrey's father gave up the tannery business after several years and began to practice law. His father died in 1853 and through the influence of his mother, Humphrey received a common school education first in New Baltimore and then high school in Massillon, Ohio
Massillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
. He left school in 1861 to join the 76th Ohio Infantry
76th Ohio Infantry
The 76th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment served in the Western Theater, primarily as part of the XV Corps in the Army of the Tennessee.-Organization:...
.
Civil War
The 76th Ohio was part of the Army of the TennesseeArmy of the Tennessee
The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. It should not be confused with the similarly named Army of Tennessee, a Confederate army named after the State of Tennessee....
. Humphrey rose quickly through the ranks and was promoted to first lieutenant. He participated in twenty-seven battles and skirmishes including Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson
Fort Donelson was a fortress built by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River leading to the heart of Tennessee, and the heart of the Confederacy.-History:...
, Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, the siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
, Resaca
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
, and Atlanta
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply center of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman overwhelmed...
. The regiment participated in the march to the sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
and through the Carolinas to the battle of Bentonville
Battle of Bentonville
At 3 p.m., Confederate infantry from the Army of Tennessee launched an attack and drove the Union left flank back in confusion, nearly capturing Carlin in the process and overrunning the XIV Corps field hospital. Confederates under Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill filled the vacuum left by the retreating...
. At Ringgold Gap
Battle of Ringgold Gap
The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, in northwest Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate victory by Maj. Gen...
on November 27, 1863, Humphrey was wounded but missed no duty due to the wound. He was mustered out with the regiment at Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
on July 19, 1865.
Personal life
Humphrey married Amanda Leonard on December 25, 1872, in Beardstown, IllinoisBeardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
. They had two sons.
Professional career
Following the Civil WarAmerican 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...
, Humphrey attended Mount Union College
Mount Union College
The University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
for one year followed by a year in the law department of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Short on funds, Humphrey left school, but was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1868. He moved to Shelby County, Missouri where he became a teacher and newspaper editor of the Shelby County Herald. Humphrey was admitted to the Missouri bar in 1870.
The following year, Humphrey moved to Independence, Kansas
Independence, Kansas
Independence is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,483.-Geography:...
where he practiced law and started the South Kansas Tribune newspaper. He gave up the newspaper a year later and settled into the practice of law full time, until December 1872 when he helped found the Commercial Bank of Independence. Humphrey became the bank's president and helped reorganize the bank in 1891 as the Commercial National Bank. He continued with the bank until he was elected governor.
Politics
Humphrey was a devoted Republican and was active in party politics in every state in which he lived. In 1872 he unsuccessfully ran for the Kansas state legislature because he opposed the issue of railroad bonds. Four years later he was overwhelmingly elected to represent Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, Kansas
Montgomery County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 35,471. Its county seat is Independence, and its most populous city is Coffeyville. The Coffeyville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Montgomery...
in the Kansas House of Representatives. Before his term expired, Humphrey was appointed lieutenant governor to fill the vacancy left by Melville J. Salter. During the regular election of 1878, he was elected to the same position by a margin of 40,000 votes. Humphrey completed his term as lieutenant governor and was elected to the Kansas Senate in 1884.
Governor of Kansas
Humphrey ran for governor in 1888 and won the position by the largest plurality to that time in Kansas; he won the majority vote in all but two counties. He defeated his Republican predecessor John A. MartinJohn Martin (Governor of Kansas)
John Alexander Martin was the tenth Governor of Kansas.Martin was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a son of James and Jane Montgomery Martin. His father was a native of Maryland, and his mother a native of Pennsylvania. He was of Scots-Irish extraction, and the family was related to General...
, who was tremendously popular. Humphrey was reelected to a second term in 1890.