Frederick Walker Pitkin

Frederick Walker Pitkin ( born August 31, 1837 in Manchester, Connecticut; † 18 December 1886 in Denver, Colorado ) was an American politician ( Republican) and from 1879 to 1883, the second governor of the U.S. state of Colorado.

Early years and career

Frederick Pitkin attended until 1858 the Wesleyan University. After a subsequent law degree from Albany Law School, he was admitted to the bar in 1859. In 1860 he moved to Milwaukee in Wisconsin, where he was a partner in a successful law firm. He was forced to abandon this position in 1872 by a disease. Instead, he accepted a two -year journey to Europe in order to cure his illness. After his return in 1874 he moved into the southwestern Colorado. There, his health improved and he was re- worked as a lawyer. He also went into the mining business.

Governor of Colorado

1878 Pitkin was elected governor of his state. He took up his new post on January 14, 1879 and after a very re-election in 1880 until January 9, 1883 remain in office. During his two terms as Governor, he had to deal with various crises. This includes the " railroad war", in which the Atchison, Topeka Santa Fe and the Denver - Rio Grande railroads were involved. He also had an uprising of the Ute Indians at the Battle of Milk Creek to knock down and imposed to combat a miners' strike in Leadville martial law. His candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 1882, was unsuccessful.

After the end of his tenure, Pitkin retired from politics. He worked as a lawyer again, and devoted himself to mining. Frederick Pitkin died in December 1886. He was married to Fidelia M. James, with whom he had four children. The Pitkin County in Colorado is named after him.