| Joel Aldrich Matteson | |
| Order: | 10th |
| Office: | Governor of Illinois |
| Term Start: | January 10, 1853 |
| Term End: | January 12, 1857 |
| Lieutenant: | Gustav Koerner |
| Predecessor: | Augustus C. French |
| Successor: | William Henry Bissell |
| Birth Date: | August 8, 1808 |
| Birth Place: | Watertown, New York, US |
| Death Place: | Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Spouse: | Mary Fish |
| Profession: | Politician |
| Signature: | Signature of Joel Aldrich Matteson (1808–1873).png |
| Relatives: | Roswell Eaton Goodell (son-in-law)[1] Jennie Goodell Blow (granddaughter) Mary Goodell Grant (granddaughter) |
Joel Aldrich Matteson (August 8, 1808 – January 31, 1873) was the tenth Governor of Illinois, serving from 1853 to 1857.[2]
In 1855, he became the first governor to reside in the Illinois Executive Mansion. In January 1855, during the joint legislative session of the Illinois House and Senate convened to choose a US senator, he became a surprise candidate. On the 9th ballot, he received 47 votes, 3 short of the 50 needed to win. Abraham Lincoln, who was also a contestant, then asked his supporters to vote for Lyman Trumbull, who won on the 10th ballot.[3] [4]
After his term as governor ended he was for many years the president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad.[5]
The last years of his life were marred by charges of corruption in the Canal Scrip Fraud case. The village of Matteson, Illinois is named in his honor.[6] Matteson was buried in Joliet, Illinois.