Sidney Edgerton | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| 1st Territorial Governor of Montana | |
| In office June 22, 1864 – July 12, 1866[a] | |
| Appointed by | Abraham Lincoln |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | Thomas F. Meagher Acting Territorial Governor |
| Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court | |
| In office March 10, 1863 – June 22, 1864 | |
| Appointed by | Abraham Lincoln |
| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | Silas Woodson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th District | |
| In office March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin F. Leiter |
| Succeeded by | Rufus P. Spalding |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 17, 1818 Cazenovia, New York, US |
| Died | July 19, 1900 (aged 81) Akron, Ohio, US |
| Resting place | Tallmadge Cemetery, Tallmadge, Ohio |
| Political party | Free Soil (1848–1856) Republican (1856–1900) |
| Spouse | Mary Wright Edgerton |
| Children | Martha Edgerton Rolfe Plassmann |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Judge, Teacher |
| Signature |  |
Sidney Edgerton (August 17, 1818 – July 19, 1900) was an American politician, lawyer, judge and teacher from Ohio. He served during the American Civil War, as a Squirrel Hunter. During this time, Edgerton served as a U.S. Congressman. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln appointed him the first Chief justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court. Edgerton lobbied for the creation of separate territories, out of the Idaho Territory, and in 1864, Abraham Lincoln appointed Edgerton as the first Territorial Governor of Montana. During his term as Territorial Governor, he was an alleged member of the infamous Montana Vigilantes, and was reputedly among its founders.
He was a sickly child that was not expected to survive; burial clothing was ordered for him. He survived and, eventually, moved to Ohio. He became a lawyer, and was involved in both the Free Soil Party and the Republican Party. After John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Edgerton was invited, by Brown's family, to settle Brown's affairs. He never was able to meet with Brown. He had a successful career as a politician, and after his term ended in the Territory of Montana, Edgerton returned to Ohio. He served as a lawyer in his home state until his death in 1900.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).