Henry Augustus Buchtel

Henry Augustus Buchtel ( born September 30, 1847 in Akron, Ohio; † October 22, 1924 in Denver, Colorado ) was an American politician ( Republican) and from 1907 to 1909 the 16th Governor of the State of Colorado.

Early years

During his early years Buchtel moved with his parents to South Bend, Indiana. There he attended until 1872, the Indiana Asbury University, where he studied theology. After that, he was ordained as pastor of the Methodist church. After his marriage to Mary Stevenson in February 1873, the newly wed couple moved to Bulgaria, where Buchtel was a missionary. However, due to the failing health of his wife, the couple returned to the United States in August 1873. In the following years Buchtel in the states of Indiana, New York, Colorado and New Jersey, served as pastor.

Political career in Colorado

In 1900 Buchtel was Chancellor of the University of Denver. This office he retained during and after his governorship. In 1906 he was elected governor of that state, where he prevailed with 46:37 percent of the vote to Democrat Alva Adams. Buchtel took up his new post on January 8, 1907. In his two-year tenure own youth chambers were introduced in the courts of the country. At the same time convicts were used for road construction. The school system was better funded and legislation to regulate the banking and the insurance sector have been adopted. Consumer protection has been strengthened with the help of a food control law. The statutory review of the conditions in slaughterhouses has been improved. At that time the railway committee was founded and built a state mental hospital. As Buchtel on January 12, 1909 left office, he left a balanced budget and a surplus in the national bank.

Further CV

By 1920 Buchtel remained chancellor of the University of Denver. Then he had to give up the post after a stroke. Four years later he died from the effects of a further stroke in Denver. With his wife Mary he had four children.