Newton Edmunds

Newton Edmunds ( born May 31, 1819 in Hartland, New York, † February 13, 1908 in Yankton, South Dakota ) was an American politician and from 1863 to 1866 the second territorial governor of Dakota Territory.

Early years

Newton Edmunds came in 1832 with his family to Michigan. There he was employed by the Land Survey Authority. On their behalf he arrived in 1861 in the Dakota Territory. As there began the Indian wars in 1862, he was commander of a unit of militia troops. In 1863 he was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as the successor to William Jayne as territorial governor.

The Dakota Territory

The current state of North Dakota was part of the resulting on March 2, 1861 Dakota Territory. The territory, in turn, had been founded from parts of Minnesota and Nebraska Territory and existed until 1889. Until 1868, the territory comprised roughly the present states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. In 1868, new territories created and the Dakota Territory was reduced to the area of ​​the present states of North and South Dakota. Between 1861 and 1883 Yankton was the capital of the territory. This was followed by Bismarck new capital. In the 1880s, a movement to include this area, which took up more and more settlers from Europe as a state in the United States was born. Before it happened, the territory was divided into two parts. There were two reasons: Firstly, the two main settlement areas in the north and in the south were separated by a huge gap. The other reason was political. The Republican Party, urged two states in the hope of thereby in the U.S. Congress to expand their majority. In February 1889 President Grover Cleveland signed a law that the creation of two new states, North and South Dakota foresaw. On November 2, 1889, the division between North and South Dakota was completed. On this day, both countries joined as new states of the American Union. Previously we had worked out constitutions, which now entered into force. Between 1861 and 1889, the Dakota Territory of ten territorial governors was administered, who were appointed by the Federal Government or the President of the United States.

Territorial Governor

Edmunds exercised his new office 1863-1866. He succeeded in 1865 to conclude an agreement with the Indians, at least provisionally marked the end of the fighting. Domestically, the school system was under Edmunds further expanded and improved the legal system. He fought for the development of agriculture, particularly with the introduction of sheep farming in 1865 is worth mentioning. In addition, the tax system was reformed. Domestically came Edmunds with its peace policy towards the Indians rejection. His fiercest opponent was Walter A. Burleigh, who succeeded in Washington Edmunds enforce dismissal. On August 8, 1866 Edmunds was recalled by President Andrew Johnson. His successor, Andrew Jackson Faulk was the father of Walter Burleigh.

Further CV

After his dismissal Edmunds remained as a businessman and politician in the Dakota Territory. He was also a member of peace commissions that negotiated with the Indians. He was also involved in the plans for a railway between Yankton and Sioux City. Together with a partner, he established the Yankton State Bank. In the 1880s, Edmunds supported the movement for the accession of territory to the United States. Finally, in 1891 he founded together with his sons the Yankton National Bank. Until his death Edmunds remained active business despite his advanced age.

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