Lewis Wolfley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lewis Wolfley
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| 8th Governor of Arizona Territory | |
| In office April 8, 1889 – August 20, 1890 |
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| Nominated by | Benjamin Harrison |
| Preceded by | C. Meyer Zulick |
| Succeeded by | John N. Irwin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 8, 1839 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 12, 1910 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Civil engineer |
Lewis Wolfley (October 8, 1839 – February 12, 1910) was an American civil engineer. He served as the eighth Governor of Arizona Territory. People often say he was the first governor to live in Arizona when he was chosen. He was also the only governor who was not married.
Wolfley's time as governor was tough because he wasn't very good at politics. He spent a lot of his time arguing with others. This eventually led him to quit his job.
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Lewis Wolfley's Early Life and Career
Wolfley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Lewis and Elanor Wolfley. His father died when he was young. Lewis grew up near the border of Ohio and Kentucky. His mother's family helped him get an education. He studied civil engineering and possibly law. When he was a young man, he worked for railroads in Iowa and Ohio.
During the American Civil War, Wolfley joined the Union Army. He was part of the 3rd Kentucky Cavalry. He fought bravely and was known as "Sherman's Fighting Major." After the war, General William T. Sherman wanted him to stay in the army. Wolfley left the army as a lieutenant colonel. He then worked for the government in New Orleans.
In 1872, Wolfley worked in mining in Colorado. He also worked in District of Columbia. In the early 1880s, he moved to Arizona Territory. There, he worked as a civil engineer. He surveyed public lands. People respected him, but he wasn't widely known. This was because he spent a lot of time working in the field.
Becoming Governor of Arizona
When Republican President Benjamin Harrison became president, he wanted to replace the current governor. The old governor, C. Meyer Zulick, was a Democrat. President Harrison wanted a Republican in charge. Many people wanted the job. Wolfley asked President Harrison directly for the position.
He wrote a letter explaining his war service. He also mentioned he had lived in Arizona for six years. He reminded the president that the Republican party wanted local people to be territorial officials. Many important people supported Wolfley. These included Generals William T. Sherman and Nelson A. Miles. Even with some opposition, Wolfley was approved. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on March 28, 1889. He became Governor of Arizona Territory on April 8, 1889.
Challenges as Governor
One of Wolfley's first problems was choosing new officials for the territory. The old governor, a Democrat, had already picked his own team. The Republican legislature rejected these choices. They waited for Wolfley to pick his own people. Many of the old officials refused to leave their jobs. They argued that the legislature had gone past its time limit. This meant Arizona Territory had two sets of officials. The old Democratic officials still controlled the offices and records.
This situation made it hard for the government to work. A lawsuit was filed to decide who was the real Territorial Treasurer. The court sided with Wolfley's choice. But other Republican nominees were still unsure. Eventually, the courts ruled in favor of Wolfley's choices. Also, Wolfley's administration stopped paying the old officials. This finally made them give up their jobs.
Wolfley also had problems with people in his own party. Some people, like William Christy, wanted to remove him from office. Wolfley was also upset when his political rivals got important government jobs. For example, George Christ, who had opposed Wolfley, became a customs collector. Another example was Richard E. Sloan, who became a judge. Wolfley first supported Sloan. But he changed his mind when Sloan hired someone who had opposed Wolfley.
Governor Wolfley's Achievements and Issues
Wolfley's biggest success was fixing the territory's debt. He got a lower interest rate. This saved Arizona about $59,006.40 each year. He also wanted to build new railroads. He hoped this would connect the northern and southern parts of Arizona. This would help lower prices for goods.
The governor also dealt with other important issues. There was a concern that Chiricahua Apache people might return to Arizona. They had been moved by the government. After looking at different places, the Apache were settled at Fort Sill in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). Wolfley was also worried about Mormon settlers moving into the territory. He thought they voted too much as a group. Finally, there was a big problem with James Reavis. He made a fake claim to a huge piece of land. This issue took many years to solve.
By the end of 1889, most newspapers in Arizona wanted Wolfley to leave office. To fight back, Wolfley helped start a newspaper called The Arizona Republican. He used it to share his views. But his efforts were not enough. He was asked to resign. Wolfley officially quit his job on August 20, 1890.
Life After Being Governor
After he resigned, Wolfley moved to Prescott. He continued to work as a civil engineer and surveyor. One of his projects was surveying a large area of land along the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. He also worked on building a dam on the Gila River. But after spending a lot of money, a flood washed away the dam. During the legal case that followed, Wolfley even asked for all the supreme court judges to be removed after a ruling went against him.
Wolfley tried to become governor again in 1897. But President William McKinley did not choose him. By 1908, he had moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he tried to create electricity using ocean waves. Lewis Wolfley died on February 12, 1910. He was hit by a streetcar. He was buried in Prescott's I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
