David Howell Jerome (November 17, 1829April 23, 1896) was an American politician. He served as the 18th
governor of Michigan
The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the stat ...
(1881–1883); he was the first governor to be born in Michigan.
Early life
He was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
to Horace and Elizabeth Rose (Hart) Jerome who had emigrated to Michigan from
Trumansburg, New York in 1828. He was the last of nine children (four by his first wife, five by his second) born to his father, who died on March 30, 1831. Soon after his father’s death, Jerome's mother returned with her children to her native New York, near
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
. In 1834, they returned to Michigan, to a farm in
St. Clair County. As a boy he did farm work and excelled in school attending the St. Clair Academy, where he was allowed to remain until the age of sixteen. He also worked for a time hauling and rafting logs down the
St. Clair River to
Algonac
Algonac is a city in St. Clair County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,110 at the 2010 census.
Algonac is located at the southern end of the St. Clair River, just before it splits into a large delta region known as the St. Cl ...
.
In 1855, Jerome and a brother moved to
Saginaw where he served as
alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
. On June 15, 1859, Jerome married Lucy Peck. He enthusiastically helped raise a
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
regiment in 1862, serving as the
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
of the
23rd Michigan Infantry, and was an active
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
supporter throughout his subsequent state senate service.
As a reward for his service to the Union, he was elected a 3rd Class member of the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...
.
Politics
Jerome, a
Republican, was a merchant by profession. He was a member of the
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...
from the
27th District 1863–66 and from the
26th District 1867–68, and was appointed Chairman of the Committee on State Affairs upon taking office. He also served as Governor
Henry Crapo's military aide from 1865 to 1866, and was a member of the State Military Board from 1865 to 1873. He was also an alternate delegate to the 1868
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...
, and, appointed by Governor
John J. Bagley
John Judson Bagley (July 24, 1832 – July 27, 1881) was a politician from the US state of Michigan, as well as the 16th governor of Michigan.
Early life in New York and Michigan
Bagley was born in Medina, New York to John and Mary M. (Smith) B ...
, a member of the Michigan state constitutional commission in 1873 from the 8th district, and was Chairman of the Committee on Finance. He served, as well, on the U.S.
Board of Indian Commissioners The Board of Indian Commissioners was a committee that advised the federal government of the United States on Native American policy and inspected supplies delivered to Indian agencies to ensure the fulfillment of government treaty obligations.
Hi ...
from 1876 to 1881.
On November 2, 1880, Jerome was elected the 18th
Governor of Michigan
The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the stat ...
serving from January 1, 1881 to January 1, 1883, defeating
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
Frederick M. Holloway. During his tenure, an immigration commissioner was named; the
Traverse City State Hospital for the Insane was founded; the state's railroad system was advanced; and the Michigan School for the Blind was established in
Lansing
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
. He was defeated for re-election in 1882, by Democrat
Josiah Begole
Josiah Williams Begole (January 20, 1815June 5, 1896) was an American politician serving as a U.S. Representative from 1873 to 1875 and the 19th governor of Michigan from 1883 to 1885.
Early life in New York
Begole was born in Groveland, New ...
, ending a record 28-year span of Republican Governors in Michigan.
Retirement and death
Six years after leaving office, he was appointed and served on the
Cherokee Commission, which attained land from the Indians to form the
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as th ...
.
An
Episcopalian
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...
, he died in
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
and is interred at Oakwood Cemetery there.
References
Political Graveyard
National Governors Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerome, David
1829 births
Republican Party governors of Michigan
Republican Party Michigan state senators
People of Michigan in the American Civil War
19th-century American Episcopalians
1896 deaths
Burials in Michigan
19th-century American politicians