Alexander Ramsey

See also: Alexander Ramsay (disambiguation)

Alexander Ramsey
34th United States Secretary of War
In office December 10, 1879 – March 5, 1881
President	Rutherford B. Hayes
Preceded by	George W. McCrary
Succeeded by	Robert Todd Lincoln
4th United States Senator from Minnesota
In office September, 1863 – July, 1875
Preceded by	Henry M. Rice
Succeeded by	Samuel J. R. McMillan
2nd Governor of Minnesota
In office January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863
Lieutenant	Ignatius L. Donnelly
Preceded by	Henry Hastings Sibley
Succeeded by	Henry Adoniram Swift
1st Territorial Governor of Minnesota
In office June 1, 1849 – May 15, 1853
Appointed by	Zachary Taylor
Preceded by	Territory Created
Succeeded by	Willis A. Gorman
Personal details
Born	September 8, 1815(1815-09-08) Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
Died	April 22, 1903(1903-04-22) (aged 87) St. Paul, Minnesota
Political party	Whig, Republican
Spouse(s)	Anna Jenks
Alma mater	Lafayette College
Profession	Politician, Lawyer
Religion	Methodism

Alexander Ramsey (September 8, 1815 – April 22, 1903) was an American politician. He was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Alexander Ramsey was elected from Pennsylvania as a Whig to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 28th and 29th congresses from March 4, 1843 to March 4, 1847. He served as the first Territorial Governor of Minnesota from June 1, 1849 to May 15, 1853 as a member of the Whig Party.

Ramsey's house in Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1960.

Ramsey was of Scottish and German ancestry. In 1855, he became the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. Ramsey was elected the second Governor of Minnesota after statehood and served from January 2, 1860 to July 10, 1863. Ramsey is credited with being the first Union governor to commit troops during the American Civil War (he happened to be in Washington, D.C. when fighting broke out). He resigned the governorship to become a U.S. Senator, having been elected to that post in 1863 as a Republican. He was re-elected in 1869 and held the office until March 3, 1875, serving in the 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd congresses.

Ramsey is also noted for his stern statements calling for the killing or removal of specific Native Americans, chiefly the Sioux (Dakota) people that lived in the state of Minnesota. Ramsey declared on September 9, 1862: "The Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state."

Ramsey served as Secretary of War from 1879 to 1881, under President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Legacy

The Minnesota Historical Society preserves his home, the Alexander Ramsey House as a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Alexander Ramsey Park, located in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, is the largest municipal park in Minnesota. Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County, North Dakota, the city of Ramsey, Minnesota, the city of Ramsey, Illinois, Ramsey Park in Stillwater, Minnesota, Ramsey Junior High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Alexander Ramsey Elementary School in Montevideo, Minnesota and Ramsey International Fine Arts Center (formerly Alexander Ramsey Junior High School) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are also named for him.

References

• Alexander Ramsey at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-03-22

• Alexander Ramsey U.S. Army biography
• The Political Graveyard

External links

• Biographical information, gubernatorial records, and Ramsey's personal papers are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.
• "Alexander Ramsey". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5969. Retrieved 2009-03-22. 

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by James Irvin	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district March 4, 1843 – March 4, 1847	Succeeded by George N. Eckert
Political offices
Preceded by Territory Created	Territorial Governor of Minnesota June 1, 1849 – May 15, 1853	Succeeded by Willis A. Gorman
Preceded by David Olmsted	Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota 1855–1856	Succeeded by George L. Becker
Preceded by Henry H. Sibley	Governor of Minnesota January 2, 1860 – July 10, 1863	Succeeded by Henry A. Swift
Preceded by George W. McCrary	United States Secretary of War Served under: Rutherford B. Hayes December 10, 1879 – March 5, 1881	Succeeded by Robert T. Lincoln
United States Senate
Preceded by Henry M. Rice	United States Senator (Class 1) from Minnesota March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1875 Served alongside: Morton S. Wilkinson, Daniel S. Norton, William Windom, Ozora P. Stearns and William Windom	Succeeded by Samuel J. R. McMillan