Harris M. Plaisted facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harris Merrill Plaisted
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Photo from around 1875.
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| 38th Governor of Maine | |
| In office January 13, 1881 – January 13, 1883 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel F. Davis |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Robie |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 4th district district |
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| In office September 13, 1875 – March 3, 1877 |
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| Preceded by | Samuel F. Hersey |
| Succeeded by | Llewellyn Powers |
| Maine Attorney General | |
| In office January 1, 1873 – December 1, 1875 |
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| Governor | Sidney Perham Nelson Dingley Jr. |
| Preceded by | Thomas Brackett Reed |
| Succeeded by | Lucilius A. Emery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 2, 1828 Jefferson, New Hampshire |
| Died | January 31, 1898 (aged 69) Bangor, Maine |
| Resting place | Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Maine |
| Political party | Republican (before 1878) Greenback (after 1878) |
| Spouses | Sarah J. Mason (m. 1858, died 1875) Mabel True Hill (m. 1881) |
| Children | 3 (including Frederick W. Plaisted) |
| Education | Waterville College Albany Law School |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch/service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  Colonel (actual) Major General (brevet) |
| Commands | 11th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Harris Merrill Plaisted (born November 2, 1828 – died January 31, 1898) was an important person from Maine. He was a lawyer, a politician, and a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He led the 11th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a colonel. After the war, he became the top lawyer for Maine, known as the Maine Attorney General. He also served in the U.S. Congress and was the 38th Governor of Maine.
Plaisted grew up in Jefferson, New Hampshire. He went to Waterville College and Albany Law School. After finishing school, he became a lawyer in Bangor. When the Civil War started in 1861, he joined the Union Army. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel and leading his own regiment. He fought in many battles, including the Siege of Petersburg. By the end of the war, he was recognized for his bravery and leadership.
After the war, Plaisted went back to being a lawyer. He also got involved in politics as a Republican. He served in the Maine state government and later became the state's Attorney General. In 1875, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Later, he changed political parties because he disagreed with the Republicans' ideas about money. He joined the Greenback Party. In 1880, he was elected Governor of Maine. He passed away in Bangor in 1898.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Harris Merrill Plaisted was born in Jefferson, New Hampshire. His parents were Deacon William and Nancy Plaisted. He went to local schools and then to several academies. These included schools in Lancaster, New Hampshire, St. Johnsbury Academy, and the New Hampton School.
He graduated from Waterville College in 1853. In 1855, he earned his law degree from Albany Law School. He even won a gold medal for an essay about law. Before becoming a lawyer, he taught school for a year. He studied law with attorney Albert W. Paine in Bangor, Maine. Plaisted passed his bar exam in 1856 and started his law practice in Bangor. From 1858 to 1860, he worked for Governor Lot M. Morrill as an assistant.
Service in the Civil War
When the Civil War began, Harris Plaisted joined the Union Army. He was made a lieutenant colonel in the 11th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment in October 1861. By May 1862, he was promoted to colonel. He then led his regiment in many important battles.
He fought in the 1862 Peninsula Campaign. This included the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of Williamsburg. He also took part in the Battle of Seven Pines and the Seven Days Battles. In 1863, his troops were part of the Siege of Charleston. Plaisted later commanded a larger group of soldiers called a brigade. This group included his 11th Maine Regiment and others. In 1864, he fought in the Overland Campaign and the long Siege of Petersburg.
For his brave service, President Abraham Lincoln honored Plaisted in February 1865. He was given the special title of brevet brigadier general. Later, in 1867, President Andrew Johnson gave him another special title: brevet major general. These titles recognized his excellent service during the war.
After the War: Law and Politics
After the Civil War ended, Plaisted returned to his law practice in Bangor. He also became active in politics. He was elected to the Maine House of Representatives as a Republican. He served in this role from 1867 to 1868. In 1868, he attended the Republican National Convention. There, he supported Ulysses S. Grant to become president.
In January 1873, the state government chose Plaisted to be the Maine Attorney General. This is the state's chief legal officer. He was reappointed to this job in 1874 and 1875. During his time as Attorney General, he handled many important legal cases. All of these cases resulted in convictions, and the court upheld his work.
In September 1875, Plaisted was elected to the Forty-fourth United States Congress. He filled a vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in Congress from September 13, 1875, to March 3, 1877. He resigned as Attorney General in December 1875 to focus on his work in Congress. While in Congress, he spent a lot of time investigating the Whiskey Ring. This was a big government scandal during President Grant's time. After his term in Congress, Plaisted went back to practicing law in Bangor. He also helped write a book called The Maine Digest, which collected important court decisions.
Becoming Governor of Maine
In 1878, Harris Plaisted became unhappy with the Republican Party. This was partly because of economic problems like the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. He disagreed with the Republicans' ideas about how money should work. Many farmers and workers felt that money backed by gold and silver was causing prices and wages to drop. Plaisted believed that the government should print money that was not tied to gold or silver. He thought this would help keep costs and salaries steady.
Because of these disagreements, Plaisted left the Republican Party. He joined a new group called the Greenback Party. In 1880, he ran for governor of Maine as the Greenback candidate. He also had the support of the Democrats. Plaisted won the election by a very small number of votes. He defeated the current Republican governor, Daniel F. Davis. He served as governor from 1881 to 1883. He was one of only a few non-Republicans to be governor of Maine for many years.
During his time as governor, the state legislature was mostly Republican. This meant they often disagreed with Plaisted. He vetoed many bills, including some that would have allowed banks to issue money backed by gold. By 1883, the economy had improved. Plaisted lost his bid for reelection to the Republican candidate, Frederick Robie.
Later Life and Family
From 1884 to 1898, Plaisted worked as an editor and publisher for a newspaper called The New Age in Augusta. He used the newspaper to share his political ideas. He often debated with Republicans about their money policies.
In his later years, Plaisted suffered from a kidney disease. He passed away in Bangor on January 31, 1898. He was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor.
Harris Plaisted came from a family that was active in politics in New Hampshire. His grandfather, Samuel Plaisted, was a judge. Another ancestor, John Plaisted, was also a judge and part of the colonial government. Harris was one of nine children. His brother William served in the Maine State Senate, and his brother Charles served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
In 1858, Plaisted married Sarah J. Mason. She passed away in 1875. In 1881, he married Mabel True Hill. With his first wife, he had three children. One of his sons, Frederick W. Plaisted, also became Governor of Maine many years later.
