John Addison Gurley (December 9, 1813 – August 19, 1863) was a

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

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 ...

during the early part 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 ...

, serving two terms from 1859 to 1863. He was appointed as the first Governor of the

Arizona Territory The Territory of Arizona (also known as Arizona Territory) was a territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863, until February 14, 1912, when the remaining extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of ...

, but died before taking office.

Biography

Gurley was born in

East Hartford, Connecticut East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,045 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, directly across from Hartford, Connecticut. It is home to aerospac ...

. He attended the district schools and received academic instruction before becoming an apprentice in the

hatter Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...

’s trade. He studied theology and became a minister, serving as pastor of the Universalist Church in

Methuen, Massachusetts Methuen () is a 23 square mile (60 km2) city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 53,059 at the 2020 census. Methuen lies along the northwestern edge of Essex County, just east of Middlesex County and just south of ...

, from 1835–1838. He moved west to

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, in 1838 and became owner and editor of the ''Star and Sentinel'', later called the ''Star in the West'', and also served as a pastor in that city. Gurley retired from the ministry in 1850, sold his newspaper in 1854 and retired to his farm near Cincinnati. He was the unsuccessful

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 ...

candidate for election in 1856 to the

Thirty-fifth United States Congress The 35th 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, 1857 ...

. However, he was elected to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1859–March 3, 1863). Gurley was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Congress. During the Civil War, Gurley served as

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 ...

and aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen.

John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont or Fremont (January 21, 1813July 13, 1890) was an American explorer, military officer, and politician. He was a U.S. Senator from California and was the first Republican nominee for president of the United States in 1856 ...

in 1861 when Congress was not in session. In 1863, Gurley was appointed Governor of the Arizona Territory by President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

, but he died of a sudden attack of

appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...

in Green Township, near Cincinnati, on the eve of his departure to assume his duties. He was buried in

Spring Grove Cemetery Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum () is a nonprofit rural cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the third largest cemetery in the United States, after the Calverton National Cemetery and Abraham L ...

in Cincinnati.

Granite Mountain (Arizona) Granite Mountain ( yuf-x-yav, ʼWi:kvte:wa) is a mountain located in Yavapai County, Arizona that covers roughly 12 square miles (31 km2). It was once known as Mount Gurley, for the first governor of the Arizona Territory, John A. Gurley. ...

, a prominent feature outside

Prescott, Arizona Prescott ( ) is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the city's population was 45,827. The city is the county seat of Yavapai County. In 1864, Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona T ...

was originally named Mount Gurley in his honor.

References

Universalist Register bio of Gurley
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurley, John A. People from East Hartford, Connecticut Politicians from Cincinnati People of Ohio in the American Civil War Burials at Spring Grove Cemetery Clergy of the Universalist Church of America Milliners 1813 births 1863 deaths 19th-century American newspaper publishers (people) 19th-century American journalists Deaths from appendicitis American male journalists 19th-century American male writers 19th-century American politicians Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio 19th-century American clergy