Cyrus G. Luce
Cyrus Luce | |
---|---|
Russell Alger | |
Succeeded by | Edwin B. Winans |
Member of the Michigan Senate | |
In office 1865–1868 | |
Preceded by | Darius Monroe |
Succeeded by | John H. Jones |
Constituency | 15th district (1865–1866) 13th district (1867–1868) |
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the Branch County 2nd district | |
In office 1855–1856 | |
Preceded by | Henry Davis |
Succeeded by | Edwin Perry |
Personal details | |
Born | Windsor, Ohio, U.S. | July 2, 1824
Died | March 18, 1905 Coldwater, Michigan, U.S. | (aged 80)
Resting place | Oak Grove Cemetery Coldwater, Michigan, U.S. |
Political party | Whig Party Republican Party |
Spouse(s) | Julia A. Dickinson Mary Thompson |
Profession | Politician |
Cyrus Gray Luce (July 2, 1824 – March 18, 1905) was an American politician who served as the 21st governor of Michigan.
Early life in Ohio and Indiana
Luce was born in
Life and politics in Michigan
In 1848, Luce was a
Luce cleared the land for farming and in 1849 married Julia A. Dickinson of Gilead. Over time he expanded his landholdings with additional purchases. He became an active member of the Grange in 1874, and remained active in the organization for many years afterwards.
In 1852, he was elected to represent Gilead Township on the Branch County Board of Supervisors. In 1854, he was elected as a candidate of the newly formed
His first wife Julia died in August 1882, and Luce married Mary Thompson of Bronson, Michigan, in November 1883.
Running as a Republican candidate, Luce was elected Governor of Michigan in November 1886, defeating George L. Yaple, taking office on January 1, 1887. He was reelected in 1888 and served two two-year terms. During his tenure, a local liquor option law was sanctioned and a state game warden was established, reportedly the first salaried state game wardenship in the United States. To fill this position Luce appointed William Alden Smith, who would later represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.
Death and legacy
Luce died at the age of 80 in Coldwater, Michigan,[2] and is interred in Oak Grove Cemetery adjacent to that municipality.
Luce County, in the Upper Peninsula, is named in his honor.[3] He was the last governor of the state to have a county named in his honor. His administration was marked by rapid population growth and development in northern Michigan, led by the lumber industry. A state landmark, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, was built in 1887 during his administration.
References
- Political Graveyard. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ Michigan. Legislature, and Ellsworth, Fannie (1905). In Memory of Hon. Cyrus Gray Luce: Ex-governor of the State of Michigan : Proceedings of the Senate and the House of Representatives : Biographical Sketch by Mrs. Fannie E. Newberry. authority of the Legislature. p. 73. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 191.
External links
- Cyrus G. Luce at Find a Grave
- Memorial Library Archived July 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Michigan Historical Marker
- National Governors Association