18 Facts About Alexander Ramsey

Alexander Ramsey served as a Whig and Republican over a variety of offices between the 1840s and the 1880s.

Alexander Ramsey's father was a blacksmith who committed suicide at age 42 when he went bankrupt in 1826, after signing for a note of a friend.

Alexander Ramsey's brother was Justus Cornelius Ramsey, who served in the Minnesota Territorial Legislature.

Alexander Ramsey first studied carpentry at Lafayette College but left during his third year.

Alexander Ramsey read law with Hamilton Alricks, and attended Judge John Reed's law school in Carlisle in 1839.

Alexander Ramsey was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1839.

In 1844 Alexander Ramsey married Anna Earl Jenks, daughter of Michael Hutchinson Jenks, and they had three children.

Alexander Ramsey was elected from Pennsylvania as a Whig to the US House of Representatives and served in the 28th and 29th congresses from March 4,1843, to March 3,1847.

Alexander Ramsey served as the first Territorial Governor of Minnesota from June 1,1849, to May 15,1853, as a member of the Whig Party.

Alexander Ramsey was elected the second Governor of Minnesota after statehood and served from January 2,1860, to July 10,1863.

Alexander Ramsey is credited with being the first Union governor to commit troops during the American Civil War.

Alexander Ramsey happened to be in Washington, DC, when fighting broke out.

Alexander Ramsey resigned the governorship to become a US Senator, having been elected to that post in 1863 as a Republican.

Alexander Ramsey was re-elected in 1869 and held the office until March 3,1875, serving in the 38th, 39th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd congresses.

Alexander Ramsey supported the Radical Republicans, who called for vigorous prosecution of the Civil War, and a military reconstruction of the South.

Alexander Ramsey called for the killing or removal of the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota from the state of Minnesota during the Dakota War of 1862.

Alexander Ramsey was one of the commissioners to govern Utah from 1882 to 1886 under the Edmunds Act.

Alexander Ramsey was the namesake of the Liberty Ship SS Alexander Ramsey launched in 1942.