Charles Andrew Gilman (February 9, 1833 – June 7, 1927) was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

legislator, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.

Life and career

Gilman was born in 1833 in

Gilmanton, New Hampshire Gilmanton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,945 at the 2020 census. Gilmanton includes the villages of Gilmanton Corners and Gilmanton Ironworks. The town became well known in the 1950s after it was ...

, to Charles Gilman and Eliza Gilman (née Page). The Gilman family was a well established one in New England, with roots dating back to the 1630s. He attended school at

Gilmanton Academy Gilmanton Academy is a historic school building on Province Road in Gilmanton, New Hampshire. Built in 1894, it is a well-preserved example of a 19th-century academy building, and was one of the last to be built in the state. The building, now ho ...

and later in

East Andover, New Hampshire East Andover is an unincorporated community in the town of Andover in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The center of the community forms the East Andover Village Center Historic District. The village is located on the east shore ...

. After a brief career teaching in several different New Hampshire towns, he relocated to

Sauk Rapids, Minnesota Sauk Rapids is a city in Benton County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,862 at the 2020 census and is 13,896 according to 2021 census estimates, about a third of Benton County's population. It is on a set of rapids on the Missi ...

, in 1855. Gilman quickly became involved in local politics and became register of deeds and county auditor for

Benton County, Minnesota Benton County is a County (United States), county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 41,379. Its county seat is Foley, Minnesota, Foley. Benton County i ...

. On January 1, 1857, he married Hester Cronk, a native of

Belleville, Ontario Belleville is a city in Ontario, Canada situated on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, located at the mouth of the Moira River and on the Bay of Quinte. Belleville is between Ottawa and Toronto, along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. Its population ...

. In 1861 he was named the head of the

United States General Land Office The General Land Office (GLO) was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department ...

St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stear ...

, and relocated there. He was later reappointed to the same office in 1866 and again in 1869. During this time Gilman also explored the timber and mining industries, pursuing interests in Minnesota as well as

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

and further west. In 1867 Gilman was elected to the Minnesota Senate, serving until 1871. He was later elected to the Minnesota House in 1875 and served until 1880 (including as Speaker of the Minnesota House from 1878 to 1879). During both terms, Gilman was heavily involved in legislation surrounding railroads and supported the development of the

Great Northern Railway (U.S.) The Great Northern Railway was an American Class I railroad. Running from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, it was the creation of 19th-century railroad entrepreneur James J. Hill and was developed from the Saint Paul & Pacific ...

. He also won election as a Republican despite his district leaning heavily Democratic. After serving in the legislature Gilman became

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

under

Governors A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political_regions, political region, ranking under the Head of State, head of state and in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of ...

John S. Pillsbury John Sargent Pillsbury (July 29, 1827 – October 18, 1901) was an American politician, businessman, and philanthropist. A Republican, he served as the eighth Governor of Minnesota from 1876 to 1882. He was a co-founder of the Pillsbury Co ...

and Lucius Hubbard from January 10, 1880, to January 4, 1887. He unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 1886 and 1888. From 1894 to 1899 he was the Minnesota State Librarian. Gilman later served one more term in the House, from 1915 to 1917. He died on June 7, 1927, in

Saint Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stearn ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilman, Charles Andrew 1833 births 1927 deaths People from Gilmanton, New Hampshire Politicians from St. Cloud, Minnesota Gilman family of New Hampshire Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota Republican Party Minnesota state senators Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives 19th-century American politicians 20th-century American politicians