Joseph W. Fifer
Encyclopedia
Joseph Wilson Fifer was the 19th Governor of Illinois
, serving from 1889 to 1893. He also served as a member of the Illinois Senate
, 1881–83.
“Private Joe” Fifer was born at Staunton, Virginia
on October 28, 1840. At the age of 16, in 1856, he moved with his family to Danvers, Illinois
and worked in his father’s brickyard for several years.
Fifer enlisted as a Private in the 33rd Illinois Infantry at the start of the Civil War and was severely wounded at Jackson, Mississippi
during General Grant’s Vicksburg campaign. He refused a discharge and spent the rest of the war guarding a prison boat.
After the war, he married. Joseph Fifer and his wife Gertrude, had 3 children. The oldest child died in infancy, leaving Herman and Florence. He studied law at Illinois Wesleyan University
and became the tax collector at Danvers Township. He served as Bloomington, Illinois
city attorney and as a state’s attorney as well.
In 1880 he was elected to the state senate where he served for seven years. His name was elevated to state level after fighting with General John Black, the pension commissioner, when the latter tried to remove him as a “typical Republican politician who did not deserve a pension.” Fifer’s pension was $24 a month. Due to his celebrity status "Private Joe" Fifer was elected Governor of Illinois in 1889. One of his notable acts as Governor was to commute the life sentence of murderer Neill Cream, allowing his release, and freeing Cream to commit at least four more murders in London.
Fifer lost a reelection bid, and then twice refused the nomination to run again for governor. He was appointed to the Interstate Commerce Commission
(ICC) by President William McKinley
in 1899.
Governor Fifer lived to see his daughter, Florence Fifer Bohrer, elected as the first female State Senator of Illinois in 1924.
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....
, serving from 1889 to 1893. He also served as a member of the Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
, 1881–83.
“Private Joe” Fifer was born at Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
on October 28, 1840. At the age of 16, in 1856, he moved with his family to Danvers, Illinois
Danvers, Illinois
Danvers is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,154 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Danvers is located at ....
and worked in his father’s brickyard for several years.
Fifer enlisted as a Private in the 33rd Illinois Infantry at the start of the Civil War and was severely wounded at Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
during General Grant’s Vicksburg campaign. He refused a discharge and spent the rest of the war guarding a prison boat.
After the war, he married. Joseph Fifer and his wife Gertrude, had 3 children. The oldest child died in infancy, leaving Herman and Florence. He studied law at Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
and became the tax collector at Danvers Township. He served as Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
city attorney and as a state’s attorney as well.
In 1880 he was elected to the state senate where he served for seven years. His name was elevated to state level after fighting with General John Black, the pension commissioner, when the latter tried to remove him as a “typical Republican politician who did not deserve a pension.” Fifer’s pension was $24 a month. Due to his celebrity status "Private Joe" Fifer was elected Governor of Illinois in 1889. One of his notable acts as Governor was to commute the life sentence of murderer Neill Cream, allowing his release, and freeing Cream to commit at least four more murders in London.
Fifer lost a reelection bid, and then twice refused the nomination to run again for governor. He was appointed to the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
(ICC) by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
in 1899.
Governor Fifer lived to see his daughter, Florence Fifer Bohrer, elected as the first female State Senator of Illinois in 1924.