John Baldwin Neil (July 28, 1842 – October 6, 1902) was an American military officer and politician who served as Governor of
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho.
History
1860s
The territory w ...
from 1880 to 1883.
Earlier life
Neil was born in
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
on July 28, 1842. The son of Robert E. Neil, his father was a wealthy man and early settler in the Columbus area. He attended public schools before enrolling in the
Kentucky Military Institute The Kentucky Military Institute (KMI) was a military preparatory school in Lyndon, Kentucky, and Venice, Florida, in operation from 1845 to 1971.
Founding
One of the oldest traditional military prep schools in the United States, KMI was maintain ...
.
With the outbreak of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, Neil enlisted in the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry on April 17, 1861. During his three month commitment, he saw action in
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas . Neil returned to Ohio at the end of his enlistment and sought a
commission. After helping to recruit a volunteer regiment, Neil was made a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
on October 1, 1861 and saw his regiment attached to
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his com ...
's division under General
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...
.
Neil participated in the
Western Theater of the American Civil War, being wounded during the
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...
and seeing action during the
Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to:
* Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States
* The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign
* The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle
Vicksburg is also the name of ...
and
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
campaigns. For bravery upon the field, he was promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
on April 14, 1864. During the
Atlanta Campaign, he fought in the battles of
Resaca,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
,
Ezra Church, and
Lovejoy's Station
Lovejoy is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,422, up from 2,495 in 2000. During the American Civil War, it was the site of the Battle of Lovejoy's Station during the Atlanta C ...
before his promotion to
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
on January 23, 1865. At the end of the war, he mustered out at the rank of
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
.
Neil married Marion Jones on September 5, 1871. The couple had two daughters, Florence, who died at age 10, and Edith. Professionally, he served as personal secretary to Governors
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor ...
and
Edward Follansbee Noyes
Edward Follansbee Noyes (October 3, 1832September 4, 1890) was a Republican politician from Ohio. Noyes served as the 30th governor of Ohio.
Biography
Noyes was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He was orphaned at the age of three and was raised ...
, both of
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, following the war. After Hayes became
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, he appointed Neil as register in the
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
land office.
Political career
Neil was nominated to be Governor of Idaho Territory on July 12, 1880.
Shortly after his appointment he received word that outgoing Governor,
Mason Brayman, intended to call a
reapportionment board and use his influence to give most of territory's southwestern legislative seats to the Mormon dominated southeastern section of the territory. Neil had originally planned to arrive in the territory in September, after wrapping up personal business in Salt Lake City. Upon learning of Brayman's plans he left early and arrived to take his oath of office on August 3, 1880. This allowed Neil to block Brayman's plans and ensure an apportionment more favorable to the territory's anti-Mormon elements.
Following the apportionment board meeting, Neil took a short leave of absence to return to Salt Lake City and take care of personal business. During his leave he had a meeting with President Hayes when the President stopped in
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...
during a tour of the West. The primary topic discussed during the meeting was how to deal the problem of
polygamy
Crimes
Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married ...
among Idaho's
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
population. The problem, as seen by the two men, was that despite bigamy being outlawed by the
Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act (37th United States Congress, Sess. 2., ch. 126, ) was a federal enactment of the United States Congress that was signed into law on July 1, 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln. Sponsored by Justin Smith Morrill of Vermo ...
and
Poland Act
The Poland Act (18 Stat. 253) of 1874 was an act of the US Congress that sought to facilitate prosecutions under the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act by eliminating the control members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) exert ...
it was practically impossible to prosecute violators as the
grand juries
A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential crime, criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or ...
and
juries
A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment.
Juries developed in England durin ...
in the locations where plural marriage was practiced were dominated by Mormons who refused to punish their fellow church members.
To deal with the "Mormon menace", Neil proposed
disenfranchisement
Disfranchisement, also called disenfranchisement, or voter disqualification is the restriction of suffrage (the right to vote) of a person or group of people, or a practice that has the effect of preventing a person exercising the right to vote. D ...
of the
Mormons
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
to the 11th territorial legislature. The governor's proposed legislation was not passed but he did get several anti-Mormon officials appointed to territorial positions. Neil then traveled to
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
to lobby for his anti-Mormon position and serve as a speaker at anti-polygamy meetings. The governor even used the assassination of President
James A. Garfield
James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...
as an excuse to rally against expanding Mormon influence in "Idaho, Arizona, and our other western Territories". Passage of the
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882,U.S.History.com is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882 by President Chester A. Arthur, declaring polygamy a felony in federal territories. The act ...
in 1882 made conviction of polygamists easier.
Neil's removal as governor came on March 5, 1883 when President
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James ...
nominated
John N. Irwin
John Nichol Irwin (December 25, 1844 – December 22, 1905) was an American businessman, politician and diplomat. Among the positions he held were Mayor of Keokuk, Iowa, Governor of Idaho Territory, Governor of Arizona Territory, and U.S. M ...
as his replacement. The official reason for the removal was a series of vague accusations against the governor for issues such as drunkenness, laziness, unpopularity, incompetence, and absence from office. In fact, the governor was politically vulnerable due his appointment having been made by a previous administration and Arthur owing political favors to
John P. Jones, a personal rival of Neil, and
Frank Hatton, a friend of the newly named governor.
After office
Neil's removal from office left the anti-Mormon forces in Idaho leaderless until
Fred Dubois
Fred Thomas Dubois (May 29, 1851February 14, 1930) was a controversial American politician from Idaho who served two terms in the United States Senate. He was best known for his opposition to the gold standard and his efforts to disenfranchise M ...
took up the cause three years later. He initially moved to the
Wood River Valley
The Wood River Valley is a region in the western United States in south-central Idaho. Located in Blaine County, it is named after the Big Wood and Little Wood Rivers, which flow through the area.
The valley has four incorporated cities: B ...
where he had acquired business interests in some mining operations. Neil still influenced territorial politics as late as 1884 where differences between Neil and Dubois led to a split of the anti-Mormon vote.
In later life, Neil returned to his home state of Ohio. There he died of throat cancer in the city of Columbus on October 6, 1902.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Neil, John Baldwin
1842 births
1902 deaths
Governors of Idaho Territory
Idaho Republicans
Ohio Republicans
19th-century American politicians