Charles J. Folger
Encyclopedia
Charles James Folger was an American
lawyer and politician. He was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1881 until his death.
and graduated with honors in 1836. After his graduation, he studied law with Mark H. Sibley
and Alvah Worden in Canandaigua, N.Y.
and was admitted to the bar three years later in 1839. He began his practice in Lyons, N.Y.
, but returned to Geneva in 1840, where he remained for the rest of his life. On June 17, 1884, he married Susan Rebecca Worth.
Court of Common Pleas, serving for about a year.
He was elected as a Republican to the New York State Senate
, serving from 1862 to 1869. During his term he served as President pro tempore
for four years and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Folger served as a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867, and as a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention
.
In 1869, he resigned from the State Senate when he was appointed Assistant United States Treasurer in New York City
by President Ulysses S. Grant
.
A year later, in 1870, he was elected one of the first judges of the re-organized New York Court of Appeals
. Following the death of Sanford E. Church
, Folger was appointed Chief Judge by Governor Alonzo B. Cornell
on May 20, 1880, to complete the term. In November he was elected to a full 14-year term as Chief Judge.
In 1881, President James Garfield
offered him the position of Attorney General, which he declined. Later that year, however, he resigned from the bench to accept an appointment by President Chester Arthur to serve as Secretary of the Treasury
. In 1883 he appointed Mifflin E. Bell
to the Office of the Supervising Architect
.
, but was defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and politician. He was U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1881 until his death.
Early life
Folger was born on the island of Nantucket in 1818. When he was 12 years old, his family moved to Geneva, New York. He attended Hobart CollegeHobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
and graduated with honors in 1836. After his graduation, he studied law with Mark H. Sibley
Mark H. Sibley
Mark Hopkins Sibley was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Sibley completed preparatory studies.He studied law....
and Alvah Worden in Canandaigua, N.Y.
Canandaigua (town), New York
Canandaigua is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 7,649 at the 2000 census. The name is a native word for "the chosen spot" or "the chosen place."...
and was admitted to the bar three years later in 1839. He began his practice in Lyons, N.Y.
Lyons (village), New York
Lyons is a village in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 3,695 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Lyon , France....
, but returned to Geneva in 1840, where he remained for the rest of his life. On June 17, 1884, he married Susan Rebecca Worth.
Public Life
In 1844, Folger was appointed to the bench of the Ontario CountyOntario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
Court of Common Pleas, serving for about a year.
He was elected as a Republican to the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
, serving from 1862 to 1869. During his term he served as President pro tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
for four years and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Folger served as a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867, and as a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention
1868 Republican National Convention
The 1868 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Crosby's Opera House, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on May 20 to May 21, 1868....
.
In 1869, he resigned from the State Senate when he was appointed Assistant United States Treasurer in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by President 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...
.
A year later, in 1870, he was elected one of the first judges of the re-organized New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
. Following the death of Sanford E. Church
Sanford E. Church
Sanford Elias Church was an American lawyer and Democratic politician...
, Folger was appointed Chief Judge by Governor Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.-Early years:...
on May 20, 1880, to complete the term. In November he was elected to a full 14-year term as Chief Judge.
In 1881, President James Garfield
James Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
offered him the position of Attorney General, which he declined. Later that year, however, he resigned from the bench to accept an appointment by President Chester Arthur to serve as Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
. In 1883 he appointed Mifflin E. Bell
Mifflin E. Bell
Mifflin Emlen Bell was an American architect who served from 1883 to 1886 as Supervising Architect of the US Treasury Department...
to the Office of the Supervising Architect
Office of the Supervising Architect
The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings from 1852 to 1939....
.
Gubernatorial Race
As a sitting U.S. Secretary, he ran in 1882 for Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
, but was defeated by Democrat Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
.
Death
Folger died in office on September 4, 1884 at his home on Main Street in Geneva, NY. He was buried at Glenwood Cemetery, Geneva, at the side of his wife who had died seven years earlier.Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/fogleson-folse.html Political Graveyard
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A05E3DE113CEE3ABC4051DFB667838A699FDE Appointed Secretary of the Treasury, in NYT on October 28, 1881, with short bio
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=940DEFDB1338E033A25756C0A96F9C94659FD7CF Obit in NYT on September 5, 1884
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (page 362; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)