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Subject: [IOWA] 1903 Bio of Stephen B. Packard
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 09:01:18 EDT

Stephen B. Packard, Ex-Governor of Louisiana, was born at Auburn, in the
State of Maine, April 25, 1839. His education was acquired in the village schools
and Westbrook Academy. At the age of twenty he began the study of law,
having previously taught school. He left the law office in 1861 to join the
Twelfth Maine Volunteers as first lieutenant and was promoted to captain of Company
B. The regiment was assigned to General B. F. Butler's Division,
participating in the Louisiana campaign and the captures of New Orleans and Port Hudson.
In 1864 Captain Packard served as Judge-Advocate in New Orleans, later joining
his regiment which was with Sherman's army. After the close of the war
Captain Packard settled in New Orleans, engaged in the practice of law and in 1867
was elected delegate to the Constitutional Convention and was made chairman of
the Board of Registration consisting of seven men who were charged with the
duty of administering the civil affairs of the State form the adjournment in
April until the inauguration of the State Government in July, 1868. He was
appointed United States Marshal for Louisiana in 1869 by President Grant. As
delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876 he supported Blaine after
it was seen to be impossible to nominate General Grant. In November he was
elected Governor of Louisiana and inaugurated in January, 1877, but by the
manipulation contest he was compelled to abdicate in April. A committee appointed
by the Hayes faction obtained a quorum of members in the so-called Nichols
Legislature by breaking up a quorum in the regular Stare Legislature which
supported Governor Packard. This was a part of the arrangement which made Hayes
President. In 1878 Governor Packard was appointed Consul to Liverpool, serving
until 1885. Coming to Iowa he purchased a large farm near Marshalltown which he
made his permanent home. In 1893 he was a member of the Iowa Commission
which had charge of the Stare exhibit at the World's Exposition. He was also on
the Iowa Commission at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha; and was one
of the vice-presidents for Iowa at the Pan-American Exposition, and in the same
year was elected a member of the State Board of Agriculture.



Debbie Clough Gerischer
Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County
http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/
IAGENWEB: Special History Project:
http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm
Gerischer Family Web Site:
http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/

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