Robert Wilkinson Furnas

Robert Wilkinson Furnas (* May 5, 1824 in Troy, Ohio; † June 1, 1905 in Lincoln, Nebraska ) was an American politician and from 1873 to 1875, the third Governor of the State of Nebraska.

Early years and political rise

Robert Furnas grew up in Ohio, where he attended the local schools. After he earned his living with various works such as printers, insurance agent, Postal Worker, publisher and farmer. In 1856 he moved to the Nebraska Territory, where he " Advertiser Nebraska " founded the newspaper and published. The paper dealt primarily with agricultural and industrial affairs. Furnas was from 1856 to 1858 a member of the territorial Government Council. At the same time, he served as head of state printing of the territory. During the Civil War he fought first in the territorial militia and later as a colonel in the army of the Union. After the war he was for a time Indian agent of the federal government. From 1869 to 1873 he was on the board of the University of Nebraska. In November 1872 he was elected as a candidate of the Republican Party with 60:40 percent of the vote to Democrat H. C. Lett as the new governor of Nebraska.

Governor of Nebraska

Furnas ' two-year term began on January 13, 1873. During his reign he had to deal with a severe drought and a plague of locusts deal. Both events brought the agriculture substantial crop losses. Added to this was a weak economic period, which increased the problems.

After his term as Governor Furnas remained politically and socially active. Between 1878 and 1891, and again from 1902 to 1905 he was president of the Nebraska Historical Society. He also worked at times for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was chairman of the Agriculture Council of Nebraska ( State Board of Agriculture). He held from 1869 to 1874 and from 1884 to 1905 this office. He was also a member of numerous other associations and organizations. Robert Furnas died on 1 June 1905. He was married twice and had eight children.