Caleb Walton West

Caleb Walton West (* 1844 in Cynthiana, Kentucky, † 1909) was an American lawyer, judge and politician ( Democratic Party).

Life

West attended Millersburg Academy and served after the outbreak of the Civil War in the Confederate Army, where he spent most of his time as a POW. After the war, he married Nancy Frazer. He worked as a lawyer and municipal judge. In addition, he worked until 1901 as a Special Agent of the U.S. tax authority on the West Coast after his service as territorial governor of the Utah territory.

Governor of Utah Territory

President Grover Cleveland appointed him in 1886 as governor of the Utah Territory. He supported the Edmunds - Tucker Act of 1887, a Antipolygamiegesetz and the separation of church and state. West's first term ended in 1888 with the election of Benjamin Harrison the 23rd U.S. president. By then the following Woodruff Manifesto of 1890 ended sanctioned by the church polygamy and national political parties dissolved the old Peoples Party ( Mormons) and Liberal Party from (non- Mormons). In the result, the repossessed by the federal government of the church property was returned to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints again.

With the re-election of Cleveland in 1893 in his second term also West was re-elected. He promoted the creation of organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce Salt Lake City and provided support to what today are the Utah State University and a training center in Ogden, ready. Furthermore Saltair a resort was opened on the Great Salt Lake. West held the office, taken to Utah as the 45th state in the Union and a new governor was elected.