Augustus C. French
Encyclopedia
Augustus Chaflin French (August 2, 1808 - September 4, 1864) was the ninth Governor
of the U.S. state
of Illinois
from 1846 until 1853. He is best known for his fiscal policies, which eliminated the state's debt by the end of his administration, and for the lack of scandal
s during his administration. His name also graces the Governor French Academy in Belleville
, Illinois.
, Merrimack County, New Hampshire
. His father died when he was a child, and he struggled to obtain an education, finally leaving Dartmouth College
due to lack of funds. Studying at home, he was admitted to the bar in 1823. He then travelled to Albion
, Edwards County, Illinois
but soon moved to Edgar Courthouse (later renamed Paris
) in the newly established Edgar County
, where he acquired a successful law practice. On his mother's death, he assumed responsibility for his younger siblings.
French entered politics in 1837, first serving a term in the Illinois legislature
, then becoming the Receiver of Public Monies (i.e., the receiver of money paid to the U.S. government
for land) at Palestine
in Crawford County, Illinois, where he took up residence. In 1844 he was a presidential elector for James K. Polk
(the winner in that election), and became popular in Illinois politics through his advocacy of a war with Mexico. French was nominated for governor by his party and won the election for governor, taking office in December 1846.
s leave the state in February, 1846 after their city charter at Nauvoo had been revoked the previous year. Two events significant to the growth of Chicago
occurred during French's term of office: the Illinois and Michigan Canal
was completed, and the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
was begun. The canal connected the Illinois River
(and thus, the Mississippi River
) with the Great Lakes
, while the railroad connected Chicago with the lead
mines
in Galena, Illinois
(it would be completed in 1853).
A new state constitution was adopted in 1848, and among its changes from the 1818 constitution were new provisions for the election and terms of office for the state governor. French was unanimously renominated for the office by his party, and easily won re-election. He continued his efforts to reduce the state's debt, and by the time he left office in 1853, the entire deficit had been eliminated.
), and then relocated to Lebanon
in St. Clair County, Illinois
, where he became a Professor
of Law at McKendree College.
In 1858 he ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the nominee of the Douglas
wing of his party, but was defeated. He was a delegate to the unproductive Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1862, which became known as the "Copperhead
Convention" for its anti-war stance during the Civil War
.
Augustus French died September 4, 1864 in Lebanon, and was buried there in College Hill Cemetery.
and Augusta Carroll French, father-in-law of Cassius Milton Wicker
, and grandfather of the poet Nora May French
.
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
from 1846 until 1853. He is best known for his fiscal policies, which eliminated the state's debt by the end of his administration, and for the lack of scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
s during his administration. His name also graces the Governor French Academy in Belleville
Belleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
, Illinois.
Early life and political rise
French was born in HillHill, New Hampshire
Hill is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,089 at the 2010 census.- History :Originally granted as New Chester in 1753, the town took the name Hill in 1837 in honor of Isaac Hill, governor of New Hampshire from 1836 to 1839...
, Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Merrimack County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 136,225 people, 51,843 households, and 35,460 families residing in the county. The population density was 146 people per square mile . There were 56,244 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...
. His father died when he was a child, and he struggled to obtain an education, finally leaving Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
due to lack of funds. Studying at home, he was admitted to the bar in 1823. He then travelled to Albion
Albion, Illinois
Albion is a city in Edwards County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,933 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Edwards County. It is the home of the most pig farmers per square mile of all of the US counties.-Geography:...
, Edwards County, Illinois
Edwards County, Illinois
Edwards County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 6,721, which is a decrease of 3.6% from 6,971 in 2000...
but soon moved to Edgar Courthouse (later renamed Paris
Paris, Illinois
Paris is a city in Paris Township, Edgar County, Illinois, USA, south of Chicago, and west of Indianapolis. In 1900, 6,105 people lived in Paris, Illinois; in 1910, 7,664; and in 1940, 9,281. The population was 8,837 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Edgar County.-Geography:Paris is...
) in the newly established Edgar County
Edgar County, Illinois
Edgar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 18,576, which is a decrease of 5.7% from 19,704 in 2000...
, where he acquired a successful law practice. On his mother's death, he assumed responsibility for his younger siblings.
French entered politics in 1837, first serving a term in the Illinois legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, then becoming the Receiver of Public Monies (i.e., the receiver of money paid to the U.S. government
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for land) at Palestine
Palestine, Illinois
Palestine is a village in Crawford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,366 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Palestine is located at ....
in Crawford County, Illinois, where he took up residence. In 1844 he was a presidential elector for James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
(the winner in that election), and became popular in Illinois politics through his advocacy of a war with Mexico. French was nominated for governor by his party and won the election for governor, taking office in December 1846.
Administration
French immediately pushed for the funding to retire the state's debt, an attitude that characterized his entire tenure in office. He saw many of the MormonMormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
s leave the state in February, 1846 after their city charter at Nauvoo had been revoked the previous year. Two events significant to the growth of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
occurred during French's term of office: the Illinois and Michigan Canal
Illinois and Michigan Canal
The Illinois and Michigan Canal ran from the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago on the Chicago River to LaSalle-Peru, Illinois, on the Illinois River. It was finished in 1848 when Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth presided over its opening; and it allowed boat transportation from the Great...
was completed, and the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was a railroad running west from Chicago to Clinton, Iowa and Freeport, Illinois, never reaching Galena, Illinois...
was begun. The canal connected the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
(and thus, the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
) with the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, while the railroad connected Chicago with the lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in Galena, Illinois
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
(it would be completed in 1853).
A new state constitution was adopted in 1848, and among its changes from the 1818 constitution were new provisions for the election and terms of office for the state governor. French was unanimously renominated for the office by his party, and easily won re-election. He continued his efforts to reduce the state's debt, and by the time he left office in 1853, the entire deficit had been eliminated.
Later life
After his retirement from government, French would continue his public service as a bank commissioner (appointed to that position by his successor, Governor MattesonJoel Aldrich Matteson
Joel Aldrich Matteson was the tenth Governor of Illinois, serving from 1853 to 1857. In 1855, he became the first governor to reside in the Illinois Executive Mansion. After his term as governor ended he was for many years the president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad...
), and then relocated to Lebanon
Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt" or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
in St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, where he became a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Law at McKendree College.
In 1858 he ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction as the nominee of the Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
wing of his party, but was defeated. He was a delegate to the unproductive Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1862, which became known as the "Copperhead
Copperheads (politics)
The Copperheads were a vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. Republicans started calling anti-war Democrats "Copperheads," likening them to the venomous snake...
Convention" for its anti-war stance during the 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...
.
Augustus French died September 4, 1864 in Lebanon, and was buried there in College Hill Cemetery.
Family
He was married to Lucy Southwick French in 1842. He was the father of Professor Edward FrenchEdward French (professor)
Edward French was a lawyer, civil war veteran, professor at Wells College, and early pioneer to California.-Biography:Starting in 1868 Professor Edward French taught Latin, literature, chemistry and mathematics at Wells College. He was induced to take a faculty position at Wells College by his wife...
and Augusta Carroll French, father-in-law of Cassius Milton Wicker
Cassius Milton Wicker
Cassius Milton Wicker was a railroad manager and banker.-The Railroads:Wicker began his railroad career at twenty-one as a check clerk for the Star-Union Line in East St. Louis, moving up to cashier for the People's Dispatch, Chinese emigrant agent for the North Missouri Railway, and assistant...
, and grandfather of the poet Nora May French
Nora May French
Nora May French was a California poet and member of the bohemian literary circles of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club which flourished after the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906....
.