Washington Bartlett

Washington Bartlett ( * February 29, 1824 in Savannah, Georgia, † September 12, 1887 in Oakland, California ) was an American politician and the 16th Governor of California.

Career

Born in Savannah, 1824 Bartlett remained his life-long bachelor. He served an apprenticeship in the printing trade and moved to California in 1849. There he settled in San Francisco where he studied law and practiced as a lawyer.

Politically, he was a member of the Democratic Party. In the years 1859, 1861 and 1867 he was employed in the administration of the San Francisco County. In the meantime, he also worked in the Port Commission this city and he edited a local newspaper. From 1873 to 1877 he sat in the Senate of California; 1882-1886 he was mayor of San Francisco.

In 1886 he was elected governor of California. This office he accepted on January 8, 1887. In his short time an irrigation law was passed and the University of California was granted greater independence from the legislature. On August 23, 1887, the governor suffered a stroke, the consequences of which he died on September 12. Due to its short tenure, he was able to politically put no great accents.