John Treadway Rich Explained

John T. Rich
Order:23rd
Office:Governor of Michigan
Term Start:January 1, 1893
Term End:January 1, 1897
Lieutenant:J. Wight Giddings
Alfred Milnes
Joseph R. McLaughlin
Predecessor:Edwin B. Winans
Successor:Hazen S. Pingree
Order2:28th
Office2:Michigan House of Representatives#Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
Term Start2:1877
Term End2:1880
Governor2:Charles Croswell
Predecessor2:John P. Hoyt
Successor2:Seth C. Moffatt
State3:Michigan
District3:7th
Term Start3:April 5, 1881
Term End3:March 3, 1883
Predecessor3:Omar D. Conger
Successor3:Ezra C. Carleton
State House4:Michigan
District4:Lapeer County
Term Start4:1873
Term End4:1880
Predecessor4:Horace D. Rood
Successor4:George Davenport
State Senate5:Michigan
District5:20th
Term Start5:January 1, 1881
Term End5:March 21, 1881
Predecessor5:Joseph B. Moore
Successor5:William W. Andrus
Order6:24th
Office6:Michigan State Treasurer
Term Start6:1908
Term End6:1908
Governor6:Fred M. Warner
Predecessor6:Frank P. Glazier
Successor6:Albert E. Sleeper
Birth Date:23 April 1841
Birth Place:Conneautville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death Place:St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
Restingplace:Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lapeer, Michigan
Birthname:John Treadway Rich
Party:Republican
Spouse:Lucretia
Relations:Charles Rich (grandfather)

John Treadway Rich (April 23, 1841 – March 28, 1926) was an American politician serving as a U.S. Representative and the 23rd governor of Michigan.

Early life in Pennsylvania, Vermont and Michigan

Rich was born in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, the son of John W. Rich and Jerusha Treadway Rich. John Treadway Rich's middle name is mistakenly given as "Tyler", perhaps because he was born just nineteen days after John Tyler became U.S. president upon the death of William Henry Harrison. In 1846, he moved with his parents to Addison County, Vermont, and two years later they moved to Elba Township, Michigan. He attended the public schools and engaged in agricultural pursuits. On March 12, 1863, he married Lucretia M. Winship.

Politics

Rich was a member and chairman of the board of supervisors of Lapeer County, 1869–1872. He was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, 1873–1881, and served as speaker of the house during the last two terms. He was also a delegate to the Republican State conventions in 1873, 1875, and 1878.

Rich served in the Michigan Senate from January 1, 1881, until March 21, 1881, when he resigned, having been elected to the United States House of Representatives for the 47th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Omar D. Conger, serving from April 5, 1881, to March 4, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882 to the 48th Congress. He later served as State Railroad Commissioner, 1887–1891, and a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1884 to elect James G. Blaine and 1892 to re-elect Benjamin Harrison as U.S. president, both of whom lost to Democrat Grover Cleveland.

Rich served as Governor of Michigan from 1893 to 1897. During his four years in office, a railroad strike, as well as an iron mine strike occurred. Also, three members of the State Canvassing Board were fired for falsifying returns on a salary raise vote for state officeholders.

After leaving office, he served as United States collector of customs at Detroit from February 16, 1898, to January 30, 1906. He was elected State Treasurer of Michigan to fill a vacancy and served from January 23, 1908, to January 1, 1909. He was then collector of customs at Port Huron from December 11, 1908, to May 30, 1913.

Death

Rich died in St. Petersburg, Florida, and is interred at Mount Hope Cemetery of Lapeer, Michigan.

References