Frank A. Briggs
Encyclopedia
Frank A. Briggs was an American
Republican
elected official who served as the fifth Governor
of North Dakota
from January 6, 1897 until his death nineteen months later.
A native of Minnesota
, Frank A. Briggs was born in the state's Hennepin County
and was variously employed as a printer and journalist. Twenty-three years old in 1881, he moved to the city of Mandan
, the county seat of North Dakota's Morton County
, where he dealt in real estate. Campaigning for public office, he was elected county treasurer, serving from 1885 to 1887, gained the statewide post of auditor in 1894 and, finally, in November 1896, prevailed in the gubernatorial election. An activist executive, he participated in discussions of laws being drafted by the state legislature, including passage of the revenue bill as well as a general railway law which regulated movement of freight and passengers.
Having struggled with tuberculosis
, Governor Briggs lost the battle in Bismarck five weeks before his 40th birthday. Lieutenant Governor Joseph M. Devine
served the remaining four-and-a-half months of the governor's two-year term.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
elected official who served as the fifth Governor
Governor of North Dakota
The Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
from January 6, 1897 until his death nineteen months later.
A native of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Frank A. Briggs was born in the state's Hennepin County
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
and was variously employed as a printer and journalist. Twenty-three years old in 1881, he moved to the city of Mandan
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
, the county seat of North Dakota's Morton County
Morton County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 25,303 people, 9,889 households, and 6,932 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 10,587 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, where he dealt in real estate. Campaigning for public office, he was elected county treasurer, serving from 1885 to 1887, gained the statewide post of auditor in 1894 and, finally, in November 1896, prevailed in the gubernatorial election. An activist executive, he participated in discussions of laws being drafted by the state legislature, including passage of the revenue bill as well as a general railway law which regulated movement of freight and passengers.
Having struggled with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, Governor Briggs lost the battle in Bismarck five weeks before his 40th birthday. Lieutenant Governor Joseph M. Devine
Joseph M. Devine
Joseph McMurray Devine was an American politician who was the Republican Governor of North Dakota from 1898 to 1899. He served as governor for less than one year as he finished the term after Governor Frank A. Briggs died in office-External links:* from the ....
served the remaining four-and-a-half months of the governor's two-year term.
See also
- Governor of North DakotaGovernor of North DakotaThe Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
- List of Governors of North Dakota