Samuel Medary

Samuel Medary

SAMUEL MEDARY was born February 25, 1801 in Montgomery Square, Pennsylvania. He moved to Ohio in his mid-20's and became a well known newspaper editor and printer. He was an outspoken supporter of western expansion, lending his voice to the campaigns to annex Texas and Oregon. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate during the 1830's. When he was appointed Territorial Governor of Minnesota by President James Buchanan in 1857, Minnesota was already preparing for statehood. During his thirteen month tenure, Medary spent most of his time at home in Ohio. After Minnesota achieved statehood in May of 1858, Buchanan appointed Medary Governor of Kansas Territory, a position he held until 1860. Medary did not support the Civil War and used his Columbus Ohio newspaper, The Crisis, to oppose the war and Mr. Lincoln. Soldiers from nearby Camp Chase, angered by his editorials, ransacked and then burned his newspaper office in 1863. Medary died November 7, 1864 in Columbus, Ohio.




Alexander Ramsey

  • First Governor of the Minnesota Territory
  • Second Governor of the State of Minnesota


Willis Gorman

  • Second Governor of the Minnesota Territory
  • Achieved the rank of Brigadier General during the Civil War as part of the 1st Minnesota


Henry Mower Rice

  • Second Congressional Representative from the Minnesota Territory
  • First Senator from the State of Minnesota


Henry Sibley

  • Representative of Wisconsin Territory (after the state of Wisconsin was admitted to the union) in 1848
  • Read his speech in support of creating Minnesota Territory
  • First Congressional Representative from the Minnesota Territory
  • First Governor of the State of Minnesota
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