John Lourie Beveridge Explained

John Lourie Beveridge
Order:16th
Office:Governor of Illinois
Term Start:January 23, 1873
Term End:January 8, 1877
Lieutenant:John Early
Archibald Glenn
Predecessor:Richard J. Oglesby
Successor:Shelby Moore Cullom
Order2:18th
Office2:Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
Term Start2:January 13, 1873
Term End2:January 23, 1873
Governor2:Richard J. Oglesby
Predecessor2:Richard J. Oglesby
State3:Illinois
Office3:Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 3rd congressional district
Term Start3:November 4, 1871
Term End3:January 4, 1873
Predecessor3:John A. Logan
Successor3:District eliminated
Office4:Cook County Sheriff
Term Start4:1864
Term End4:1870
Birth Date:July 6, 1824
Birth Place:Greenwich, New York
Death Place:Los Angeles, California
Signature:John Lourie Beveridge Signature.svg
Party:Republican
Profession:lawyer
Allegiance:United States of America
Union
Branch:Union Army
Serviceyears:1861–1866
Rank: Colonel
Bvt. Brigadier General
Commands:17th Illinois Cavalry
Unit:8th Illinois Cavalry Regiment
Battles:American Civil War

John Lourie Beveridge (July 6, 1824 – May 3, 1910) was the 16th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1873 to 1877. He succeeded the recently elected Richard J. Oglesby, who resigned to accept a Senate seat. Beveridge previously served in the Army during the American Civil War, becoming colonel of the 17th Illinois Cavalry in 1864. He was brevetted to brigadier general in March 1865.

Biography

John Lourie Beveridge was born in Greenwich, New York on July 6, 1824, the son of Ann (Hoy) and George Beveridge.[1] In 1842, he moved with his family to DeKalb County, Illinois. Beveridge attended Granville Academy for one term and then studied at Rock River Seminary. After his schooling, he moved to Tennessee and taught school. In 1851, Beveridge returned to Illinois to study law in Sycamore. Three years later, he moved to Evanston and began to practice law in Chicago. He formed a partnership with John F. Farnsworth until the Civil War.

Volunteering for the civil war; Beveridge initially served as an officer with Farnsworth in the 8th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry. With the unit he fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, commanding it at the latter. In November 1863, he received approval to raise his own regiment, the 17th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and was elevated to the rank of colonel. The unit saw service in Missouri. He was brevetted to Brigadier General in March 1865 and mustered out on February 6, 1866.

Upon returning home, Beveridge was elected to serve as Cook County Sheriff. In 1870, Beveridge was elected to the Illinois Senate as a Republican. The next year, Beveridge was elected to fill the vacancy in the United States House of Representatives caused by the resignation of John A. Logan. He served in this role for only a year as well, resigning to accept his election as Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. The next year, upon the resignation of Richard J. Oglesby, Beveridge became Governor of Illinois.

The governorship of Beveridge saw the economic downturn from the Long Depression. The farmers' movement prompted the formation of the Anti-Monopolist Party, later known as the Greenback Party, which opposed Beveridge's Republicans. Midterm elections in 1874 saw several Greenbacks (with Democratic support) elected to state offices, including Lieutenant Governor Archibald Glenn. The governorship also saw the Revision of 1874, a rewording of the Constitution of Illinois. Beveridge appointed the leadership roles for the Illinois exhibits for the Centennial Exposition. He also approved the Illinois School for the Deaf, Illinois School for the Blind, Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane and restorations of the Northern Illinois Hospital and Asylum for the Insane, Illinois Central Hospital for the Insane, Illinois Soldiers' Orphans' Home and Anna State Hospital.

After his term expired, Beveridge was named Assistant United States Treasurer at Chicago by President Chester A. Arthur. Beveridge moved to Hollywood, California, in 1895, where he remained until his death of May 3, 1910. He was interred in Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. He was the grandfather of sculptor Kuhne Beveridge.

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Underground Railroad in DeKalb County, Illinois. 9781476600802. Beasley. Nancy M.. February 23, 2013.