Stephen B. Packard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen B. Packard
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| 27th Governor of Louisiana | |
| In office January 8, 1877 – April 24, 1877 |
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| Lieutenant | Caesar Antoine |
| Preceded by | William P. Kellogg |
| Succeeded by | Francis T. Nicholls |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 25, 1839 Auburn, Maine |
| Died | January 31, 1922 (aged 82) |
| Political party | Republican |
Stephen Bennett Packard Sr. (born April 25, 1839 – died January 31, 1922) was an important Republican politician. He lived during the Reconstruction period in Louisiana. In 1876, he ran for governor against Democratic candidate Francis T. Nicholls. Both men claimed they won the election. President Rutherford B. Hayes had to help decide who would be the governor.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Stephen Packard was born in Auburn, Maine. He went to school in his village. Later, he attended Westbrook Academy. When he was 20 years old, he started studying law. Before that, he had worked as a teacher.
Military Service and Legal Career
In 1861, Packard stopped studying law. He joined the Twelfth Maine Volunteers. He started as a first lieutenant. A lieutenant is a junior officer in the army. He was later promoted to captain of Company B. A captain leads a group of soldiers.
His group was part of General B. F. Butler's Division. They fought in the Louisiana campaign. They helped capture New Orleans and Port Hudson. In 1864, Captain Packard worked as a Judge-Advocate in New Orleans. A Judge-Advocate is a military lawyer. He later rejoined his group with Sherman's army.
After the war, Captain Packard moved to New Orleans. He started working as a lawyer.
Political Career in Louisiana
In 1867, Packard was chosen as a delegate. He attended the Constitutional Convention. This meeting helped write new laws for Louisiana. He also led the Board of Registration. This group managed the state's government. They did this until a new state government started in 1868.
In 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him. Packard became the United States Marshal for Louisiana. A US Marshal is a federal law enforcement officer. They help the courts and enforce federal laws.
The 1876 Governor's Election
Packard was a delegate at the Republican National Convention in 1876. He supported a candidate named Elaine. This was after it became clear that General Grant could not be nominated.
In November 1876, Packard was elected Governor of Louisiana. He officially started his term in January 1877. However, there was a big dispute about the election results. This was part of a larger national argument. It was about who would be president, Samuel J. Tilden or Rutherford B. Hayes.
Due to this national agreement, Packard had to step down. He left office in April 1877. A special committee helped make Hayes president. As part of this deal, Packard's opponent, Francis T. Nicholls, became governor.
Later Life and Public Service
In 1878, Governor Packard received a new job. He was appointed Consul to Liverpool. A consul represents their country in a foreign city. He served in this role until 1885.
After his time as consul, Packard moved to Iowa. He bought a large farm near Marshalltown, Iowa. This became his permanent home. He continued to be involved in public service.
In 1893, he was part of the Iowa Commission. This group managed Iowa's exhibit at the World's Exposition. He also served on the Iowa Commission. This was for the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha. He was a vice-president for Iowa at the Pan-American Exposition. In the same year, he was elected to the State Board of Agriculture.
