William Woodbridge
Encyclopedia
William Woodbridge was a U.S.
statesman
in the states of Ohio
and Michigan
and in the Michigan Territory
prior to statehood. He served as the second Governor of Michigan and a United States Senator
from Michigan.
, and as a child moved with his family to Marietta, Ohio
in about 1790. He began the study of law in Marietta and developed a close friendship with Lewis Cass
. He returned to Connecticut
to complete his law studies and, after returning to Ohio, was admitted to the Ohio bar
in 1806 where he began a practice in Marietta, Ohio
. In June 1806, he married Juliana Trumbull, the daughter of John Trumbull
.
He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
in 1807, and was elected to the Ohio Senate
in 1808, serving from 1809 to 1814. He was also the prosecuting attorney for New London (now Washington County, Ohio
) from 1808 to 1814.
, encouraged him to accept appointments as Secretary of the Territory and as the collector of customs at the Port of Detroit. On October 15, 1814, Woodbridge reluctantly accepted the appointments from President James Madison
and moved to Detroit, Michigan
. During the frequent absences of Cass, Woodbridge served as acting Governor. In 1817 became a trustee of the University of Michigan
.
Under the rules of Territorial government, the Territory did not have representation in the U.S. Congress. Woodbridge influenced Congress to pass legislation authorizing the selection of a non-voting Delegate to Congress. Woodward became Michigan Territory's first Delegate, serving in the 16th Congress
from March 4, 1819, to his resignation on August 9, 1820 due to illness in his family. Solomon Sibley
succeeded Woodbridge as Delegate. As a Delegate, Woodbridge worked for the passage of legislation that recognized old French land titles in the Territory according to the terms of the previously signed treaties. He also secured approval for the construction of government roads from the Great Miami River
to Detroit, and from Detroit to Chicago. He was also a strong advocate for Michigan's claim to the Toledo Strip, which was disputed with the state of Ohio.
In 1828, he was appointed one of three Territorial Supreme Court judges by President John Quincy Adams
, succeeding James Witherell
and serving in this capacity until 1832 when his term expired and President Andrew Jackson
chose a replacement who was not from the Whig party as Woodbridge was.
in 1840, leading the Whig party
to sweeping statewide victories under the slogan "Woodbridge and reform" (along with William Henry Harrison
's national campaign). He resigned as Governor on February 23, 1841 to take a seat in the United States Senate
and was succeeded by his Lieutenant Governor
, J. Wright Gordon.
In 1840, Woodbridge was elected as a Whig to the Senate and served from March 4, 1841, to March 4, 1847. He served as chairman of the Committee on Public Lands in the 28th Congress
, 1843–1844, and of the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office in the 29th Congress
, 1845–1846. He did not seek reelection.
.
Woodbridge Township, Michigan
in Hillsdale County, Michigan
is named for him. The Woodbridge Historic District
and Woodbridge Avenue in Detroit are also named for him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
in the states 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...
and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and in the Michigan Territory
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
prior to statehood. He served as the second Governor of Michigan and a United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Michigan.
Early life in Connecticut and politics in Ohio
Woodbridge was born in Norwich, ConnecticutNorwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
, and as a child moved with his family to Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
in about 1790. He began the study of law in Marietta and developed a close friendship with Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass was an American military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, a U.S. Senator representing Michigan, and co-founder as well as first Masonic Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan...
. He returned to Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
to complete his law studies and, after returning to Ohio, was admitted to the Ohio bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1806 where he began a practice in Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
. In June 1806, he married Juliana Trumbull, the daughter of John Trumbull
John Trumbull (poet)
John Trumbull was an American poet.-Biography:Trumbull was born in what is now Watertown, Connecticut, where his father was a Congregational preacher. At the age of seven he passed his entrance examinations at Yale, but did not enter until 1763; he graduated in 1767, studied law there, and in...
.
He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
in 1807, and was elected to the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
in 1808, serving from 1809 to 1814. He was also the prosecuting attorney for New London (now Washington County, Ohio
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
) from 1808 to 1814.
Politics in Michigan Territory
In 1814, Woodbridge's old friend Lewis Cass, who had become Governor of the Michigan TerritoryMichigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
, encouraged him to accept appointments as Secretary of the Territory and as the collector of customs at the Port of Detroit. On October 15, 1814, Woodbridge reluctantly accepted the appointments from President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
and moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. During the frequent absences of Cass, Woodbridge served as acting Governor. In 1817 became a trustee of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
Under the rules of Territorial government, the Territory did not have representation in the U.S. Congress. Woodbridge influenced Congress to pass legislation authorizing the selection of a non-voting Delegate to Congress. Woodward became Michigan Territory's first Delegate, serving in the 16th Congress
16th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Alabama and one seat was reapportioned from Massachusetts to the new state of Maine. For the beginning of the next congress, six more seats from Massachusetts would be reapportioned to...
from March 4, 1819, to his resignation on August 9, 1820 due to illness in his family. Solomon Sibley
Solomon Sibley
Solomon Sibley was a United States politician and jurist in the Michigan Territory.-Early life: 1769–1815:...
succeeded Woodbridge as Delegate. As a Delegate, Woodbridge worked for the passage of legislation that recognized old French land titles in the Territory according to the terms of the previously signed treaties. He also secured approval for the construction of government roads from the Great Miami River
Great Miami River
The Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
to Detroit, and from Detroit to Chicago. He was also a strong advocate for Michigan's claim to the Toledo Strip, which was disputed with the state of Ohio.
In 1828, he was appointed one of three Territorial Supreme Court judges by President John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
, succeeding James Witherell
James Witherell
James Witherell was a United States Representative from Vermont. He was born in Mansfield, Massachusetts. After completing preparatory studies, he served in the Continental Army 1775-1783 during the American Revolutionary War. He entered service as a private and rose to the rank of Adjutant in...
and serving in this capacity until 1832 when his term expired and President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
chose a replacement who was not from the Whig party as Woodbridge was.
Politics and Governorship in the State of Michigan
Woodbridge was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1835 and a member of the Michigan State Senate, 1838–1839. He was elected as the second Governor of MichiganGovernor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
in 1840, leading the Whig party
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
to sweeping statewide victories under the slogan "Woodbridge and reform" (along with William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
's national campaign). He resigned as Governor on February 23, 1841 to take a seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and was succeeded by his Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
, J. Wright Gordon.
In 1840, Woodbridge was elected as a Whig to the Senate and served from March 4, 1841, to March 4, 1847. He served as chairman of the Committee on Public Lands in the 28th Congress
28th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Following the 1840 United States Census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats . During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida .- Senate :*President: Vacant...
, 1843–1844, and of the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office in the 29th Congress
29th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
, 1845–1846. He did not seek reelection.
Retirement and death
After leaving the Senate, he retired from public life and devoted his time to horticulture. He died in Detroit and is interred there in Elmwood CemeteryElmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit is one of Michigan's most important historic cemeteries. Located at 1200 Elmwood Street in Detroit's Eastside Historic Cemetery District, Elmwood is the oldest continuously operating, non-denominational cemetery in Michigan...
.
Woodbridge Township, Michigan
Woodbridge Township, Michigan
Woodbridge Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,337 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*Frontier is an unincorporated community within the township at...
in Hillsdale County, Michigan
Hillsdale County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 46,527 people, 17,335 households, and 12,550 families residing in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile . There were 20,189 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
is named for him. The Woodbridge Historic District
Woodbridge Historic District
The Woodbridge Neighborhood Historic District is a historic neighborhood of primarily Victorian homes located in Detroit, Michigan. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, with later boundary increases in 1997 and 2008....
and Woodbridge Avenue in Detroit are also named for him.