Jeremiah McLain Rusk

Union Army general, politician (1830-1893)

Jeremiah McLain Rusk (June 17, 1830 – November 21, 1893) was the 15th Governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin from 1882 to 1889.[1]

Jeremiah McLain Rusk
2nd United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office
March 6, 1889 – March 6, 1893
Preceded byNorman J. Coleman
Succeeded byJulius S. Morton
Personal details
Born(1830-06-17)June 17, 1830
Malta, Ohio, U.S.
DiedNovember 21, 1893(1893-11-21) (aged 63)
Viroqua, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ProfessionPolitician, Banker, Farmer
Military service
Branch/serviceUnion Army
RankLieutenant Colonel (brevet general)
Unit25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Biography change

Rusk was born in Malta, Ohio.[1] He was a member of the Republican Party. He began his life as a farmer, then became an innkeeper and finally became a banker before the Civil War.[2] During the war, he received a brevet appointment as a general and saw action with the 25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.[1][2]

After the Civil War, he became a congressman in the United States House of Representatives.[1] There, he became chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions.[1] He was elected Governor of Wisconsin as a Republican in 1882.[1] His most noted act during his governorship was when he sent the National Guard into Milwaukee to keep the peace during the May Day Labor Strikes of 1886.[2] This led to the Bay View Tragedy, in which a number of workers were killed; Governor Rusk took most of the blame.[2]

In 1889 he resigned his post as governor and accepted the new cabinet position of Secretary of Agriculture in the Benjamin Harrison administration.[1] He lived, died and was buried in Viroqua, Wisconsin.[2]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Congress". Retrieved 2010-01-05.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Rusk, Gov. Jeremiah M. (1830-1893)". Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2010-01-05.

Other websites change

United States House of Representatives
Political offices
Preceded by
William E. Smith
Governor of Wisconsin
1882– 1889
Succeeded by
William D. Hoard
Preceded by
Norman J. Coleman
United States Secretary of Agriculture
March 6, 1889– March 6, 1893
Succeeded by
Julius S. Morton