Mason Brayman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mason Brayman
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| 7th Governor of Idaho Territory | |
| In office July 24, 1876 – August 3, 1880 |
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| Nominated by | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | David P. Thompson |
| Succeeded by | John Baldwin Neil |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 23, 1813 Buffalo, New York |
| Died | February 27, 1895 (aged 81) Kansas City, Missouri |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mary Williams Brayman 1816-1886 |
| Profession | printer, attorney, military officer, politician |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |
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| Commands | 29th Illinois Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
Mason Brayman (born May 23, 1813 – died February 27, 1895) was an American lawyer, newspaper editor, and military leader. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He became a Major general with the 29th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Later in his life, he was the seventh Governor of the Idaho Territory.
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Early Life and Career
Mason Brayman was born in Buffalo, New York, on May 23, 1813. When he was 17, he started working as a printer. Five years later, he became the editor of a local newspaper. While working with newspapers, he also studied law. He became a lawyer in New York in 1836.
In 1837, Brayman married Mary Williams. They had two daughters and one son. After his marriage, Brayman moved west several times. He worked as a city lawyer in Michigan and a newspaper editor in Ohio. In the early 1840s, he settled in Springfield, Illinois.
Life in Illinois
In Springfield, Brayman worked as a lawyer with Jesse B. Thomas Jr.. He also wrote articles for local newspapers. He spent time with important people like Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Brayman was also active in the temperance movement, which worked to reduce alcohol use. He was a leader in his local Baptist church.
In 1844, the Governor of Illinois, Thomas Ford, asked Brayman to help update the state's laws. Two years later, he helped resolve a conflict involving a group of settlers in Illinois. He created an agreement that allowed them to move peacefully from the state.
In the 1850s, Brayman worked for the Illinois Central Railroad. He helped the railroad get permission to build new tracks. In 1855, he left the Illinois Central to work for another railroad, the Cairo and Fulton Railroad. This was not a good financial move for him. The new railroad did not do well, but the Illinois Central became very successful. In 1858, Brayman helped Abraham Lincoln in his campaign for the Illinois Senate.
Civil War Service
When the American Civil War began, Brayman joined the army. He started as a Major with the 29th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He served under General McClernand. On April 15, 1862, he was promoted to Colonel and took command of his regiment.
After the Battle of Fort Donelson, Brayman grew a long beard that reached his belt. During the war, his horse was shot out from under him twice. At the Battle of Shiloh, he became a hero. He bravely charged between the Union and Confederate lines to rally his soldiers. During the Siege of Vicksburg, he got very sick from the heat. This meant he had to take on less active duties. By the end of the war, he had become a Major General. He worked in New Orleans on a special commission. Mason Brayman was a high-ranking officer who lived near Abraham Lincoln.
After the war, Brayman tried to restart his railroad career. He then returned to working as a newspaper editor in Springfield and Quincy, Illinois. In 1873, he moved to a farm in Ripon, Wisconsin. However, a financial crisis in 1873 caused him to lose most of his money. By 1876, he was looking for a new government job.
Governor of Idaho Territory
President Ulysses S. Grant chose Brayman to be the Governor of the Idaho Territory on July 24, 1876. Brayman did not know much about Idaho. He talked to the territory's representative, Stephen S. Fenn, to learn more. Fenn was a Democrat and a rival of a powerful group of Republican politicians in Idaho, sometimes called the "Boise Ring." Fenn told Brayman that the current Territorial Secretary, E. J. Curtis, was misusing public money. This made Brayman distrust the "Boise Ring."
When Brayman arrived in Idaho, people thought he seemed a bit new to the frontier. He was careful at first, learning about the territory. But opinions changed when the legislature met in December 1876. Brayman suggested many improvements for the government and the economy. He also noticed that some political groups in the territory did not like the "Boise Ring."
Brayman had his first big disagreement with the "Boise Ring" when he investigated Secretary E. J. Curtis. Brayman believed Curtis was doing wrong. He convinced Curtis to resign. However, Curtis later said he was tricked and got his job back.
The start of the Nez Perce War caused more problems for Brayman. He could not legally create a local army, so he had to rely on the U.S. Army. This made people in the northern parts of Idaho angry because they felt unprotected. Brayman also visited a courthouse in Alturas County. There were many unsolved cases about mining disputes, which hurt the local economy. Brayman suggested people try to settle their cases outside of court. The chief judge, Madison Hollister, who was part of the "Boise Ring," took this as an insult. The "Boise Ring" then tried to get Brayman removed from practicing law. Brayman won the case, but it was a public embarrassment.
Brayman's troubles continued with a murder trial. In 1877, a fight happened between some Chinese workers and an Irish miner. The miner killed two workers, and the remaining workers killed the miner. The Chinese workers were found guilty of murder by an all-white jury. Brayman believed the Chinese workers acted in self-defense. He decided to pardon them, meaning he forgave them and let them go free. This was a brave decision, but it made many white people in the territory very angry.
More pressure came on Brayman when the Bannock War started in 1878. The territory did not have enough weapons to give to its citizens for protection. People demanded weapons, and Brayman asked the federal government for arms from Fort Boise. It was also revealed that Brayman had allowed a Bannock leader to buy a small amount of ammunition just before the war started.
Changes in Leadership
In June 1878, news arrived that John Philo Hoyt was appointed as the new governor. However, Hoyt was already governor of Arizona Territory and didn't know about this change. President Hayes was moving Hoyt to make way for John C. Frémont in Arizona. Hoyt was unsure about the Idaho job and eventually turned it down.
This meant Brayman was still the governor, even though he was supposed to be replaced. His political opponents wanted him gone and asked President Hayes to appoint someone else. But Brayman still had friends outside of Idaho and asked to stay. In Idaho, four groups supported Brayman, including Mormon residents and anti-"Boise Ring" groups. Because of these mixed opinions, the Hayes administration decided to let Brayman stay until his term ended in July 1880.
For the rest of his term, Brayman's plans were often blocked by political disagreements with the "Boise Ring." He tried to pass a law to create a local army, but it failed. He also tried to bring railroad service to southern Idaho. However, the territory would not pay for it, so the railroads lost interest.
Brayman's last effort to challenge the "Boise Ring" was to change how political representation was divided in the territory. In 1879, he went to the East Coast to ask the U.S. Congress for changes. He was not successful. He planned to wait until after the 1880 Census to lead a commission to divide representation. But his successor, John Baldwin Neil, arrived and took office before Brayman could finish his plans.
Later Life
Brayman left Idaho on August 19, 1880. But he still had some influence on Idaho politics. A newspaper editor in Lewiston nominated Brayman to be the territory's representative to Congress in 1880. Brayman received many votes in the northern counties. However, this was not enough to win, as other parts of the territory did not support him.
Mason Brayman died in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 27, 1895. Newspaper articles at the time mostly praised his earlier life and military service, with only brief mentions of his time as governor in Idaho.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
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Mason Brayman
