John Baldwin Neil
Encyclopedia
John Baldwin Neil was an American
military officer and politician who served as Governor of Idaho Territory
from 1880 to 1883.
on July 28, 1842. The son of Robert E. Neil, his father was a wealthy man and early settler in the Columbus area.
He attended public schools before enrolling in the Kentucky Military Institute
.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War
, Neil enlisted in the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry on April 17, 1861. During his three month commitment, he saw action in First Battle of Bull Run
. Neil returned to Ohio at the end of his enlistment and sought a commission. After helping to recruit a volunteer regiment, Neil was made a lieutenant
on October 1, 1861 and saw his regiment attached to William Tecumseh Sherman
's division under General Ulysses S. Grant
.
Neil participated in the Western Theater of the American Civil War
, being wounded during the Battle of Shiloh
and seeing action during the Vicksburg and Chattanooga
campaigns. For bravery upon the field, he was promoted to captain on April 14, 1864. During the Atlanta Campaign
, he fought in the battles of Resaca
, Dallas
, Ezra Church, and Lovejoy's Station before his promotion to major
on January 23, 1865. At the end of the war, he mustered out at the rank of lieutenant colonel
.
Neil married Marion Jones on September 5, 1871. The couple had two daughters, Florence, who died at age 10, and Edith. Professionally, he served as personal secretary to Governors Rutherford B. Hayes
and Edward Follansbee Noyes, both of Ohio
, following the war. After Hayes became President of the United States
, he appointed Neil as register in the Salt Lake City land office.
Shortly after his appointment he received word that outgoing Governor, Mason Brayman
, intended to call a reapportionment board
and use his influence to give most of territory's southwestern legislative seats to the Morman dominated southeastern section of the territory. Neil had originally planned to arrive in the territory in September, after wrapping up personal business in Salt Lake City. Upon learning of Brayman's plans he left early and arrived to take his oath of office on August 3, 1880. This allowed Neil to block Brayman's plans and ensure an apportionment more favorable to the territory's anti-Mormon elements.
Following the apportionment board meeting, Neil took a short leave of absence to return to Salt Lake City and take care of personal business. During his leave he had a meeting with President Hayes when the President stopped in Ogden, Utah
during a tour of the West. The primary topic discussed during the meeting was how to deal the problem of polygamy among Idaho's Mormon
population. The problem, as seen by the two men, was that despite bigamy being outlawed by the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
and Poland Act
it was practically impossible to prosecute violators as the grand juries and juries in the locations where plural marriage was practiced were dominated by Mormons who refused to punish their fellow church members.
To deal with the "Mormon menace", Neil proposed disenfranchisement of the Mormons
to the 11th territorial legislature. The governor's proposed legislation was not passed but he did get several anti-Mormon officials appointed to territorial positions. Neil then traveled to Washington, D.C.
to lobby for his anti-Mormon position and serve as a speaker at anti-polygamy meetings. The governor even used the assassination of President James A. Garfield as an excuse to rally against expanding Mormon influence in "Idaho, Arizona, and our other western Territories". Passage of the Edmunds Act
in 1882 made conviction of polygamists easier.
Neil's removal as governor came on March 5, 1883 when President Chester A. Arthur
nominated John N. Irwin
as his replacement. The official reason for the removal was a series of vague accusations against the governor for issues such as drunkenness, laziness, unpopularity, incompetence, and absence from office. In fact, the governor was politically vulnerable due his appointment having been made by a previous administration and Arthur owing political favors to John P. Jones
, a personal rival of Neil, and Frank Hatton, a friend of the newly named governor.
took up the cause three years later. He initially moved to the Wood River Valley
where he had acquired business interests in some mining operations. Neil still influenced territorial politics as late as 1884 where differences between Neil and Dubois led to a split of the anti-Mormon vote.
In later life, Neil returned to his home state of Ohio. There he died of throat cancer in the city of Columbus on October 6, 1902.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military officer and politician who served as Governor of Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
from 1880 to 1883.
Earlier life
Neil was born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on July 28, 1842. The son of Robert E. Neil, his father was a wealthy man and early settler in the Columbus area.
He attended public schools before enrolling in the Kentucky Military Institute
Kentucky Military Institute
The Kentucky Military Institute was a military preparatory school in Lyndon, Kentucky and Venice, Florida, in operation from 1845 to 1971....
.
With the outbreak of 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...
, Neil enlisted in the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry on April 17, 1861. During his three month commitment, he saw action in First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. Neil returned to Ohio at the end of his enlistment and sought a commission. After helping to recruit a volunteer regiment, Neil was made a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on October 1, 1861 and saw his regiment attached to William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's division under General 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...
.
Neil participated in the Western Theater of the American Civil War
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
, being wounded during the Battle of 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...
and seeing action during the Vicksburg and Chattanooga
Chattanooga Campaign
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen...
campaigns. For bravery upon the field, he was promoted to captain on April 14, 1864. During the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, he fought in the battles of 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...
, Dallas
Battle of Dallas
The Battle of Dallas was a series of engagements during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. They occurred between May 26 and June 4, 1864, in and around Dallas, Georgia, between Lt. General William J. Hardee's Confederate corps and the Union defense line, held by the XV Corps under Maj....
, Ezra Church, and Lovejoy's Station before his promotion to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on January 23, 1865. At the end of the war, he mustered out at the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
.
Neil married Marion Jones on September 5, 1871. The couple had two daughters, Florence, who died at age 10, and Edith. Professionally, he served as personal secretary to Governors 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...
and Edward Follansbee Noyes, both of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, following the war. After Hayes became President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, he appointed Neil as register in the Salt Lake City land office.
Political career
Neil was nominated to be Governor of Idaho Territory on July 12, 1880.Shortly after his appointment he received word that outgoing Governor, Mason Brayman
Mason Brayman
Mason Brayman was an American attorney, newspaperman, and military officer. During his service to the Union Army during the American Civil War he rose to the rank of Brigadier general. Later in life, he became the seventh Governor of the Idaho Territory.-Early life:Brayman was born in Buffalo,...
, intended to call a reapportionment board
Apportionment (politics)
Apportionment is the process of allocating political power among a set of principles . In most representative governments, political power has most recently been apportioned among constituencies based on population, but there is a long history of different approaches.The United States Constitution,...
and use his influence to give most of territory's southwestern legislative seats to the Morman dominated southeastern section of the territory. Neil had originally planned to arrive in the territory in September, after wrapping up personal business in Salt Lake City. Upon learning of Brayman's plans he left early and arrived to take his oath of office on August 3, 1880. This allowed Neil to block Brayman's plans and ensure an apportionment more favorable to the territory's anti-Mormon elements.
Following the apportionment board meeting, Neil took a short leave of absence to return to Salt Lake City and take care of personal business. During his leave he had a meeting with President Hayes when the President stopped in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
during a tour of the West. The primary topic discussed during the meeting was how to deal the problem of polygamy among Idaho's Mormon
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
population. The problem, as seen by the two men, was that despite bigamy being outlawed by the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was a federal enactment of the United States Congress that was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln...
and Poland Act
Poland Act
The Poland Act of 1874 was an act of the United States Congress which sought to facilitate prosecutions under the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act by eliminating the control members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exerted over the justice system of Utah Territory. Sponsored by Senator...
it was practically impossible to prosecute violators as the grand juries and juries in the locations where plural marriage was practiced were dominated by Mormons who refused to punish their fellow church members.
To deal with the "Mormon menace", Neil proposed disenfranchisement of the Mormons
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
to the 11th territorial legislature. The governor's proposed legislation was not passed but he did get several anti-Mormon officials appointed to territorial positions. Neil then traveled to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to lobby for his anti-Mormon position and serve as a speaker at anti-polygamy meetings. The governor even used the assassination of President James A. Garfield as an excuse to rally against expanding Mormon influence in "Idaho, Arizona, and our other western Territories". Passage of the Edmunds Act
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882, declaring polygamy a felony. The act is named for U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont...
in 1882 made conviction of polygamists easier.
Neil's removal as governor came on March 5, 1883 when President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
nominated John N. Irwin
John N. Irwin
John Nichol Irwin was an American businessman, politician and diplomat. Among the positions he held were Mayor of Keokuk, Iowa, Governor of Idaho Territory, Governor of Arizona Territory, and U.S...
as his replacement. The official reason for the removal was a series of vague accusations against the governor for issues such as drunkenness, laziness, unpopularity, incompetence, and absence from office. In fact, the governor was politically vulnerable due his appointment having been made by a previous administration and Arthur owing political favors to John P. Jones
John P. Jones
John Percival Jones was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican United States Senator from Nevada. He made a fortune in silver mining and was a co-founder of the town of Santa Monica, California....
, a personal rival of Neil, and Frank Hatton, a friend of the newly named governor.
After office
Neil's removal from office left the anti-Mormon forces in Idaho leaderless until Fred DuboisFred Dubois
Fred Thomas Dubois was a controversial American politician who served two terms in the United States Senate from Idaho. He was best-known for his opposition to the gold standard and his efforts to disenfranchise Mormon voters....
took up the cause three years later. He initially moved to the Wood River Valley
Wood River Valley
The Wood River Valley is a region in south-central Idaho located in Blaine County. The valley has four incorporated cities. Bellevue, Hailey , Ketchum and Sun Valley...
where he had acquired business interests in some mining operations. Neil still influenced territorial politics as late as 1884 where differences between Neil and Dubois led to a split of the anti-Mormon vote.
In later life, Neil returned to his home state of Ohio. There he died of throat cancer in the city of Columbus on October 6, 1902.