George Franklin Fort (June 30, 1809 – April 22, 1872) was a physician, politician, judge, and a

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 ...

who served as the 16th

governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...

from 1851 to 1854.

Biography

He was born near

Pemberton, New Jersey Pemberton is a borough in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, the borough’s population was 1,371, reflecting a decrease of 38 (-2.7%) from the 1,409 enumerated at the 2010 United States Ce ...

. He graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med, is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medi ...

in 1828, began to practice medicine, and in 1830, in Imlaystown, married Anna Marie Bodine, they had four children. Fort's public career began when he was elected to the 1844 New Jersey Constitutional Convention as a Democrat from Monmouth County. At the convention, Fort supported

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stanc ...

, open eligibility for office, and popular election of all state and county officials. Later that year, he was elected to the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...

, and, upon finishing a term, was elected to the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

, serving from 1846 through 1848. In 1850, he captured his party's nomination for Governor, and defeated the Whig candidate,

John Runk John Runk (July 3, 1791 – September 22, 1872) was an American Whig Party politician, who represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1845 to 1847. Runk was born in Milltown (later, Id ...

(who had previously been a Congressman in the

Twenty-ninth United States Congress The 29th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1845, ...

). At that time, the Whigs were somewhat splintered, as some were adamantly opposed to the

Fugitive Slave Law The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of enslaved people who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The idea of the fugitive slave law was derived from ...

, while others were more aligned to the Democratic position that supporting the law was necessary in order to support the Union. Whigs also attacked Fort, with some justification, as being aligned too closely with the powerful railroad interests in the state. Nevertheless, the Whigs were not united, and Fort won the election fairly soundly. During his gubernatorial term, major reform legislation passed, including the ten-hour work day, and child protection. At the end of his term, his Democratic successor,

Rodman M. Price Rodman McCamley Price (May 5, 1816June 7, 1894) was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1851–1853. He later served as the 17th governor of New Jerse ...

, appointed him as a judge. From 1863 to 1868 he served on the Court of Errors and Appeals. After that term, he resumed the practice of medicine. He lived close to the railroad office in New Egypt. He died on April 22, 1872, at his home in the New Egypt section of Plumsted Township. He was buried in the United Methodist Church Cemetery in Pemberton.

Legacy

His nephew,

John Franklin Fort John Franklin Fort (March 20, 1852 – November 17, 1920) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 33rd governor of New Jersey, from 1908 to 1911. His uncle, George Franklin Fort, was a Democratic Governor of New Jersey f ...

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 ...

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...

, who served from 1908 to 1911.

Publications

Early History of Antiquities of Freemasonry
(1875) *A Historical Treatise on Early Builders' Marks'

References

External links

Biography of George F. Fort

New Jersey State Library The New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and Judiciary. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and ...

New Jersey Governor George Franklin Fort

National Governors Association The National Governors Association (NGA) is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association's members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the politica ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fort, George Franklin 1809 births 1872 deaths Democratic Party governors of New Jersey Democratic Party New Jersey state senators People from Pemberton, New Jersey People from Plumsted Township, New Jersey Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni Politicians from Monmouth County, New Jersey Politicians from Ocean County, New Jersey Methodists from New Jersey Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Burials in New Jersey 19th-century American politicians