John W. Geary

John White Geary (December 30, 1819 – February 8, 1873) was an American lawyer, politician, Freemason, and a Union general in the American Civil War. He was the first mayor of San Francisco. He was the 3rd Governor of the Kansas Territory. He was also the 16th Governor of Pennsylvania.

John W. Geary
Gearysfmayor.jpeg
16th Governor of Pennsylvania
In office
January 15, 1867 – January 21, 1873
Preceded byAndrew Gregg Curtin
Succeeded byJohn F. Hartranft
1st Mayor of San Francisco
In office
May 1, 1850 – May 4, 1851
Preceded byPostition established
Succeeded byCharles James Brenham
3rd Territorial Governor of Kansas
In office
September 9, 1856 – March 20, 1857
Preceded byWilson Shannon
Succeeded byRobert J. Walker
Personal details
Born
John White Geary

(1819-12-30)December 30, 1819
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
DiedFebruary 8, 1873(1873-02-08) (aged 53)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Political partyDemocrat; Republican
Spouse(s)Margaret Ann Logan (widowed); Mary Church Henderson
ProfessionTeacher, Clerk, Land Speculator, Engineer, Soldier
Signature
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1846–1848, 1861–1865
RankUnion Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg Brigadier General
Union Army major general rank insignia.svg Brevet Major General
Battles/warsMexican–American War
American Civil War

Life

Geary was born near Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Today, it is close to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

California

Geary became the first mayor of San Francisco. He is the youngest person to be mayor of San Francisco.[1] President Franklin Pierce asked Geary to be the governor of the Utah Territory, but Geary said no.

Kansas

President Franklin Pierce asked Geary to be Governor of the Kansas Territory, and Geary said yes. He became governor on July 31, 1856. Pro-slavery people did not like Geary. They wanted Daniel Woodson to be governor instead.

At first, he did not get along with anti-slavery people in Kansas. This changed. He became friends with Charles Robinson and Samuel Pomeroy. He believed pro-slavery people were the cause of the violence in Kansas.

Pennsylvania

Geary was a Republican Governor of Pennsylvania from 1867 to 1873. On February 8, 1873, he had a heart attack and died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was 53 years old.

References