John Lourie Beveridge

John Lourie Beveridge
16th Governor of Illinois
In office January 23, 1873 – January 8, 1877
Lieutenant	John Early Archibald Glenn
Preceded by	Richard J. Oglesby
Succeeded by	Shelby Moore Cullom
18th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
In office January 13, 1873 – January 23, 1873
Governor	Richard J. Oglesby
Preceded by	Richard J. Oglesby
Succeeded by	John Early
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 3rd congressional district
In office November 4, 1871 – January 4, 1873
Preceded by	John A. Logan
Succeeded by	District eliminated
Personal details
Born	July 6, 1824 Greenwich, New York
Died	May 3, 1910 (aged 85) Los Angeles, California
Political party	Republican
Profession	lawyer
Signature

John Lourie Beveridge (July 6, 1824 in Greenwich, New York  – May 3, 1910 in Los Angeles) was the 16th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1873 to 1877. He succeeded the recently elected Richard J. Oglesby, who resigned to accept a Senate seat. Beveridge previously served in the Army during the American Civil War, becoming colonel of the 17th Illinois Cavalry in 1864. He was brevetted to brigadier general in March 1865.

Biography

John Lourie Beveridge was born in Greenwich, New York on July 6, 1824. In 1842, he moved with his family to DeKalb County, Illinois. Beveridge attended Granville Academy for one term and then studied at Rock River Seminary. After his schooling, he moved to Tennessee and taught school. In 1851, he returned to Illinois to study law in Sycamore. Three years later he moved to Evanston and begun to practice law in Chicago. He formed a partnership with John F. Farnsworth until the Civil War.^[1]

Beveridge initially served with Farnsworth in the 8th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry. In November 1863, he received approval to raise his own regiment, the 17th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry and was elevated to the rank of Major. The unit saw service in Missouri. He was brevetted to Brigadier General in March 1865 and mustered out on February 6, 1866.^[1]

Upon returning home, Beveridge was elected to serve as Cook County Sheriff. In 1870, Beveridge was elected to the Illinois Senate as a Republican. The next year, Beveridge was elected to fill the vacancy in the United States House of Representatives caused by the resignation of John A. Logan. He served in this role for only a year as well, resigning to accept his election as Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. The next year, upon the resignation of Richard J. Oglesby, Beveridge became Governor of Illinois.^[1]

The governorship of Beveridge saw the economic downdurn from the Long Depression. The farmers' movement prompted the formation of the Anti-Monopolist Party, later known as the Greenback Party, which opposed Beveridge's Republicans. Midterm elections in 1874 saw several Greenbacks (with Democratic support) elected to state offices, including Lieutenant Governor Archibald Glenn. The governorship also saw the Revision of 1874, a rewording of the Constitution of Illinois. Beveridge appointed the leadership roles for the Illinois exhibits for the Centennial Exposition. He also approved the Illinois School for the Deaf, Illinois School for the Blind, Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane and restorations of the Northern Illinois Hospital and Asylum for the Insane, Illinois Central Hospital for the Insane, Illinois Soldiers' Orphans' Home and Anna State Hospital.^[2]

After his term expired, Beveridge was named Assistant United States Treasurer at Chicago by President Chester A. Arthur. Beveridge moved to Hollywood, California in 1895, where he remained until his death of May 3, 1910. He was interred in Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.

References

1. Davidson & Stuvé 1884, p. 946–947.
2. Davidson & Stuvé 1884, p. 948–963.

• Davidson, Alexander; Stuvé, Bernard (1884). A Complete History of Illinois from 1673 to 1884. Springfield, IL: H. W. Rokker.

• John Lourie Beveridge at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress