John J. Jacob (West Virginia Politician) on:
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John Jeremiah Jacob (December 9, 1829November 24, 1893) was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician from Green Spring, West Virginia, Green Spring (Hampshire County, West Virginia, Hampshire County), West Virginia. Jacob served two terms as the List of governors of West Virginia, fourth governor of the U.S. state of West Virginia. John Jeremiah Jacob was also elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates from Hampshire County in 1868 and from Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio County in 1893.
John Jeremiah Jacob's most important contribution as governor was the rewriting of West Virginia's state constitution. Moderates and former Confederate supporters themselves believed the original 1863 constitution was too biased in favor of pro-Union supporters. A new constitutional convention, controlled by Democrats, met in Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston in 1872. The new constitution restricted the power of the legislature and expanded the governor's term in office from two to four years, prohibiting consecutive terms.
In West Virginia gubernatorial election, 1872, 1872 Jacob was denied renomination by the Democratic Party, which was controlled by Camden. Jacob ran on the ''ad hoc'' "People's Independent" ticket with Republican support. He was re-elected by 2400 votes for a four-year term.Richard E. Fast, ''The history and government of West Virginia'' (1901) p 181 Camden's men controlled the legislature, and passed "ripper" laws that stripped Jacob of his appointment powers.
In 1875, the state government moved from Charleston and returned the capitol to Wheeling, West Virginia, Wheeling in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio County.
After Jacob left the governor's office, he served once again in the West Virginia House of Delegates from Ohio County in 1879 and as its circuit judge from 1881 to 1888. Jacob continued to practice law in Wheeling until his death in 1893.
* List of governors of West Virginia
online edition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, John Jeremiah 1829 births 1893 deaths Burials at Indian Mound Cemetery Dickinson College alumni Educators from West Virginia Governors of West Virginia Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Missouri lawyers People from Hampshire County, West Virginia Politicians from Wheeling, West Virginia University of Missouri faculty West Virginia Democrats West Virginia lawyers West Virginia circuit court judges Democratic Party governors of West Virginia Independent state governors of the United States Republican Party governors of West Virginia West Virginia Independents Lawyers from Wheeling, West Virginia 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American judges
Background
John Jeremiah Jacob was born in Green Spring, West Virginia, Green Spring, Virginia on the Potomac River, north of Romney, West Virginia, Romney. Jacob's Hampshire County, West Virginia, Hampshire County roots made him the first of West Virginia's governors to be born within the present-day borders of the state. Jacob attended the Romney Academy in Romney and Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Jacob practiced law and taught school in Hampshire County before accepting a teaching position at the University of Missouri in 1853. In 1858, he married Jane Baird Jacob, Jane Baird."West Virginia's First Ladies," West Virginia Division of Culture and History, June 2007. Jacob worked as an attorney in Missouri during the American Civil War and returned to Romney after the war in 1865 to establish a law practice. In 1868, John Jeremiah Jacob was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates.Governor (1871–1877)
Jacob was elected governor in West Virginia gubernatorial election, 1870, 1870 to a two-year term making him the first of six consecutive Democratic governors. Jacob supported the elimination of all remaining legislation that discriminated against former Confederate States of America, Confederates. Jacob also presided over the establishment of new facilities to care for the mentally handicapped and the creation of statewide schools, known as normal schools, to train teachers. Most of these schools still exist as part of the state college system.
John Jeremiah Jacob's most important contribution as governor was the rewriting of West Virginia's state constitution. Moderates and former Confederate supporters themselves believed the original 1863 constitution was too biased in favor of pro-Union supporters. A new constitutional convention, controlled by Democrats, met in Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston in 1872. The new constitution restricted the power of the legislature and expanded the governor's term in office from two to four years, prohibiting consecutive terms.
In West Virginia gubernatorial election, 1872, 1872 Jacob was denied renomination by the Democratic Party, which was controlled by Camden. Jacob ran on the ''ad hoc'' "People's Independent" ticket with Republican support. He was re-elected by 2400 votes for a four-year term.Richard E. Fast, ''The history and government of West Virginia'' (1901) p 181 Camden's men controlled the legislature, and passed "ripper" laws that stripped Jacob of his appointment powers.
In 1875, the state government moved from Charleston and returned the capitol to Wheeling, West Virginia, Wheeling in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio County.
After Jacob left the governor's office, he served once again in the West Virginia House of Delegates from Ohio County in 1879 and as its circuit judge from 1881 to 1888. Jacob continued to practice law in Wheeling until his death in 1893.
See also
* List of governors of West Virginia
References
Further reading
* Richard E. Fast. ''The history and government of West Virginia'' (1901) pp 169–8online edition
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacob, John Jeremiah 1829 births 1893 deaths Burials at Indian Mound Cemetery Dickinson College alumni Educators from West Virginia Governors of West Virginia Members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Missouri lawyers People from Hampshire County, West Virginia Politicians from Wheeling, West Virginia University of Missouri faculty West Virginia Democrats West Virginia lawyers West Virginia circuit court judges Democratic Party governors of West Virginia Independent state governors of the United States Republican Party governors of West Virginia West Virginia Independents Lawyers from Wheeling, West Virginia 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American judges