Richard C. McCormick
Richard Cunningham McCormick | |
---|---|
Anson P.K. Safford | |
1st Secretary of Arizona Territory | |
In office December 29, 1863 – March 14, 1866 | |
Nominated by | Abraham Lincoln |
Preceded by | N/A (Newly created position) |
Succeeded by | James P. T. Carter |
Personal details | |
Born | New York City, U.S. | May 23, 1832
Died | June 2, 1901 New York City, U.S. | (aged 69)
Political party | Unionist/Republican |
Spouse(s) | Margaret Hunt (1865–1867) Elizabeth Thurman (1873– ) |
Signature | ![]() |
Richard Cunningham McCormick, Jr. (May 23, 1832 – June 2, 1901) was an American politician, businessman and journalist. He was the second Governor of
Background
McCormick was born on May 23, 1832, in New York City to Richard Cunningham and Sarah Matilda (Decker) McCormick. The senior McCormick was secretary of the New York merchants' exchange. The younger McCormick suffered from poor health and was educated at home by private tutors with the expectation he would attend Columbia University.[1] Instead of enrolling in college, he became ill and was sent to Europe under the Victorian belief that travel had curative power. In 1854, while still in Europe, McCormick became a war correspondent reporting on the Crimean War. After his return, he wrote two books, A Visit to the Camp Before Sevastopol in 1855 and St. Paul's to St. Sophia in 1860.[2]
At the age of 25, the
Politically, McCormick was elected a public school trustee for New York's 15th ward in 1858. This was followed by his becoming a member of the Republican State Committee in 1860 and working on Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign.[4] In 1862, McCormick made an unsuccessful run for United States House of Representatives.[1] The same year he was appointed chief clerk for the Department of Agriculture.[4]
McCormick was married twice. The first time was to Margaret Grifiths Hunt of Rahway, New Jersey, on September 27, 1865.[5] The couple had met aboard a steamboat bound for New York City from Panama earlier the same year.[6] Margaret died on April 30, 1867, while giving birth to a stillborn child.[7] McCormick's second marriage was to Elizabeth Thurman, youngest daughter of Senator Allen G. Thurman, on November 11, 1873.[8]
Arizona Territory
McCormick was nominated to be
Outside his official duties, McCormick began the Arizona Miner with a
During his service within the territory, and later as territorial delegate, McCormick was a leader in Arizona Territory's "Federal Ring". This group was a coalition of territorial officials and leading citizens that worked in a non-partisan fashion to protect the lives and property of the territory's American population, establish
After Governor Goodwin was elected territorial delegate and left for Washington in late 1865, Secretary McCormick became acting governor of Arizona Territory. He was officially appointed as governor on March 14, 1866.[9] Among the chief issues McCormick faced were hostilities from Apache and other tribes. To deal with this threat he called for an increase in U.S. Army troops and a reorganization of small forts located throughout the territory into larger installations to maximize the number of soldiers available for action. Instead of the policy of extermination advocated by many within the territory, McCormick supported the creation of Indian reservations.[16]
Economically, McCormick envisioned Arizona developing a mining-based economy similar to California's. To attract economic capital, he advocated a laissez-faire tax policy.[17] McCormick also pushed for the creation of the roads, railroads, telegraph lines and postal routes needed for such an economy to function. He also asked Congress to acquire additional land from Mexico so that Arizona could have a port on the Gulf of California[18] To meet the need for food, the governor called for settlers and "tame" Indians to engage in farming.[19] To help protect the growing population from outlaws, McCormick asked the territorial legislation to create courthouses and jails.[20]
Territorial Delegate
McCormick announced his candidacy for territorial delegate on March 12, 1868, with the election scheduled for June 3, 1868.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Richard_C_McCormick.jpg/220px-Richard_C_McCormick.jpg)
McCormick left Arizona Territory on December 13, 1868, to journey to Washington DC.
During his first term, McCormick's efforts were focused on the
McCormick's second term was again focused on the Apache Wars. The delegate was at odds with President Ulysses S. Grant's decision to send Vincent Colyer to negotiate with the Apache but was successful in his efforts to have George Crook resume military operations against the Apache.[27] During May 1871, while visiting his mother in New York, McCormick contracted erysipelas and was blind for a short time. His right eye recovered, but the left was permanently lost.[28]
McCormick's opposition to President Grant's Indian "Peace Plan" allowed him to win re-election to his third term without opposition.
Later life
After leaving office as territorial delegate, McCormick become a commissioner of the
McCormick was offered ministries to Brazil in 1877 and Mexico in 1879 but declined both offers.[32] Instead, he returned to New York City and settled in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. There he became involved in a number of business efforts, as president and/or director of several mining companies and trustee of a bank.[4] McCormick made unsuccessful runs for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1882 and 1886 before his election in 1894 to represent New York's first district for a single term.[32]
McCormick died on June 2, 1901, at his house in Jamaica.[4]
McCormick Street in downtown Tucson, Arizona, was named in his honor.[33]
References
- ^ a b c Goff 1985, p. 57.
- ^ Goff 1978, p. 39.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 63.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Richard C. M'Cormick Dead". The New York Times. June 3, 1901. p. 7. Retrieved May 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Goff 1985, p. 58.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 64.
- ^ Wurtz, Michael (September 24, 2000). "Arizona Territory mourned loss of governor's wife". Sharlot Hall Museum.
- ^ a b Goff 1985, p. 67.
- ^ a b Goff 1978, p. 40.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 38.
- ^ Goff 1978, p. 46.
- ^ Goff 1985, pp. 59–60.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 62.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 77.
- ^ Goff 1978, pp. 45–46.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, pp. 68–69.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 76.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, pp. 64–65.
- ^ Goff 1978, p. 41.
- ^ Goff 1978, p. 42.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 59.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, pp. 71–72.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 60.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 64.
- ^ Goff 1985, pp. 60–61.
- ^ Goff 1985, pp. 61, 63.
- ^ Goff 1985, pp. 63–64.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 63.
- ^ a b Wagoner 1970, p. 84.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 74.
- ^ Goff 1985, p. 68.
- ^ a b c d e Goff 1985, p. 72.
- ^ Leighton, David (September 10, 2013). "McCormick was Governor of Arizona when Tucson was the Capital". Arizona Daily Star.
- Goff, John S. (1978). Arizona Territorial Officials Volume II: The Governors 1863–1912. Cave Creek, Arizona: Black Mountain Press. OCLC 5100411.
- —— (1985). Arizona Territorial Officials Volume III: The Delegates to Congress 1863–1912. Cave Creek, Arizona: Black Mountain Press. OCLC 12559708.
- Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. ISBN 0816501769.
External links
- United States Congress. "Richard C. McCormick (id: M000371)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Richard C. McCormick at Find a Grave