John Lourie Beveridge

John Lourie Beveridge ( born July 6, 1824 in Greenwich, Washington County, New York, † May 3, 1910 in Hollywood, California ) was an American politician and from 1873 to 1877 the 17th Governor of Illinois.

Early years and political rise

John Beveridge attended the Rock River Seminary in Illinois. Then he moved for some time to Tennessee, where he earned his living as a teacher. After a subsequent law degree and admission to the bar he practiced in Evanston and Chicago. During the Civil War, he brought it in the Union army to brigadier general. After his honorable retirement from the military service, he was sheriff in 1866 Cook County every year. In 1871 Beveridge was elected to the Illinois Senate. He spent the following two years as an MP in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington. The Republican Party nominated him in 1872 for the office of Lieutenant Governor.

Governor of Illinois

As the acting Governor Richard James Oglesby resigned after only ten days in office to go to the U.S. Congress, Beveridge practically had to officiate the entire four-year term as governor. During his time, some of these charitable institutions were founded. The National Guard has been strengthened and the budget deficit has been reduced. Shortly before the expiration of his term of office, the new Capitol in Springfield was inaugurated, although it was structurally not yet fully completed.

Further CV

After the expiration of his term of office he was employed from 1881 to 1884 with the U.S. tax authorities in Chicago. He then moved to Hollywood, California, where he died in 1910. John Beveridge was married to Helen M. Judson, with whom he had two children.