Kinsley Scott Bingham (December 16, 1808October 5, 1861) was a

U.S. Representative 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 c ...

, a

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, and the 11th

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Early life in New York

Bingham (whose first name is sometimes spelled ''Kingsley'') was born to the farmer family of Calvin and Betsy (Scott) Bingham in Camillus, New York in Onondaga County. He attended the common schools and studied law in

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. In 1833, while still in New York, Bingham married Margaret Warden, who had recently moved with her brother Robert Warden and family from

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Life and politics in Michigan

Bingham moved with his wife, in 1833 to

Green Oak Township, Michigan Green Oak Charter Township is a charter township of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 19,539. In September 2005, the township board voted to incorporate as a charter township, ...

where he was admitted to the

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and began a private practice. In 1834, his only child with Margaret, Kinsley W. Bingham (1838–1908), was born and his wife died four days later. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and held a number of local offices including

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

, and first judge of the probate court of Livingston County. Bingham became a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives in 1837, was reelected four times and served as

speaker of the house The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

in 1838–1839, and 1842. In 1839, Bingham married Mary Warden, the younger sister of his first wife, and in 1840 their only child was born, James W. Bingham (1840–1862). In 1846, he was elected as a Democratic Representative from Michigan's 3rd congressional district to the 30th and 31st Congresses, serving from March 4, 1847, to March 4, 1851. He was chairman of the

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in the 31st Congress. He was instrumental in securing approval for building the

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on the south end of Beaver Island in

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. He was strongly opposed to the expansion of

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and was one of minority of Democrats who supported the Wilmot Proviso. Bingham was not a candidate for re-election in 1850 and resumed agricultural pursuits. He affiliated himself with the Free Soil Party and was later a Republican.

Gubernatorial and senate career

In 1854, Bingham was elected as the 11th (and first Republican)

and was re-elected in 1856; he is among the first Republicans to be elected governor of any state. He was known as the farmer-Governor of Michigan and was instrumental in establishing the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (today,

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

) and other educational institutions such as the State Reform School. Also during his four years in office, a personal liberty law was sanctioned, legislation that regulated the lumber industry was authorized, and several new counties and villages were established. He was also a delegate from Michigan to the

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in 1856 that nominated

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for

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, who lost to

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James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...

. Bingham was elected as a Republican to the

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in 1858 and served in the 36th and 37th Congresses from March 4, 1859, until his death on October 5, 1861. He was chairman of the

Committee on Enrolled Bills A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

in the 37th Congress. He campaigned actively for the election of

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 ...

in 1860.

Death and legacy

He died in Green Oak while in office at age 52 and was originally interred at a private family graveyard in Livingston County. He was reinterred at Old Village Cemetery of

Brighton, Michigan Brighton is a city in the Detroit metropolitan area in southeastern Livingston County, Michigan, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area. It is one of ...

. There are three townships named for him in Michigan: *

Bingham Township, Clinton County, Michigan Bingham Township is a civil township of Clinton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 2,859. The township is named for politician Kinsley S. Bingham, who served as Michigan's 11th governo ...

Bingham Township, Huron County, Michigan Bingham Township is a civil township of Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,751. The township is named for Kinsley S. Bingham, a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from and Governor ...

Bingham Township, Leelanau County, Michigan Bingham Township is a civil township of Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,425. The township is named for Kinsley S. Bingham, a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator and Governor of ...

Memorials

A painting of Bingham now hangs in the Michigan State Capitol.

References

External links

Political Graveyard

National Governors Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bingham, Kinsley S. 1808 births 1861 deaths American justices of the peace Michigan postmasters Michigan state court judges Governors of Michigan Speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives Politicians from Syracuse, New York People of Michigan in the American Civil War Republican Party United States senators from Michigan Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives Michigan Free Soilers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan Republican Party governors of Michigan People from Camillus, New York Burials in Michigan 19th-century American politicians People from Livingston County, Michigan 19th-century American judges