Alexander Maitland (June 20, 1844 – January 1, 1929) was a 32nd

lieutenant governor of Michigan The lieutenant governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor. The current lieutenant governor by default is Garlin Gilchrist, a Democrat, who has held the office since January 1, 2019. Proce ...

from 1903 to 1906.

Early and family life

Maitland was born in

Kilmarnock, Scotland Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council. With a population ...

, in 1844, to James and Barbara (Kerr) Maitland. In 1856, the family moved to

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

, Canada, then later to

Hastings County, Ontario Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. Hastings County is the second-largest county in Ontario, after Renfrew County, and its county sea ...

, where they engaged in farming. Maitland began his schooling in Scotland, and continued it while working on the family farm. In 1862, he moved to

Galt, Ontario Galt is a community in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario on the Grand River. Prior to 1973, it was an independent city, incorporated in 1915, but amalgamation with the town of Hespeler, Ontario, the to ...

, for work, and then immigrated to the United States in 1864. He settled in

Negaunee, Michigan Negaunee ( or ) is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,568 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township, which is administratively separate, in the Upper Peni ...

, working for the

Chicago and Northwestern Railroad The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...

. Maitland married Caroline V. Sterling on June 10, 1874, from

Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...

. The couple had five children: Alexander F., Katherine, Leslie M., Harvey K. and Rena. Maitland was a member of the

Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

s and his wife a member of the

Order of the Eastern Star The Order of the Eastern Star is a Freemasonry, Masonic List of fraternal auxiliaries and side degrees, appendant Masonic bodies, body open to both men and women. It was established in by lawyer and educator Rob Morris (Freemason), Rob Morris, ...

Employment

He later served as general manager of the Iron Cliffs Mining Company and the mining division of Republic Iron and Steel Company, and supervisor for the Cambra and Lillie Mining Company. Maitland later served as president of the Black River Mining Company, the North Lake Mineral Land Company and the First National Bank of Negaunee, as well as holding stock in several other banks. He is considered one of the pioneer settlers of Michigan's

Upper Peninsula The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by t ...

Public service

Maitland was first elected as

county surveyor A county surveyor is a public official in the United Kingdom and the United States. United Kingdom Webb & Webb describe the increasing chaos that began to prevail within this same period in field of county surveying in England and Wales, with c ...

, where he served two terms, and then mayor of his home town, where he served three terms. In 1896, he was elected as the

state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

for his district, and later won a second term. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1902, under Governor

Aaron T. Bliss Aaron Thomas Bliss (May 22, 1837 – September 16, 1906) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative and the 25th governor of Michigan, and was from Saginaw. Bliss Township was named after him. Early life in New York Bliss ...

, and again in 1904, under Governor

Fred M. Warner Fred Maltby Warner (July 21, 1865 – April 17, 1923) was an American politician. He served as the 26th governor of Michigan from 1905 to 1911. Birth in England and early life in Michigan Born in Hickling, Nottinghamshire, England, Warner spe ...

. Maitland and both governors with whom he served were affiliated with the Republican Party.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maitland, Alexander 1844 births 1929 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Michigan Scottish emigrants to the United States Republican Party Michigan state senators People from Kilmarnock 19th-century American politicians 20th-century American politicians