Coles Bashford

Background

Bashford was born near Cold Spring in Putnam County, New York.

Education

He attended the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1842.

Career

He moved to Oshkosh shortly after the admission of Wisconsin, entered politics as a Whig, and deserted the Whigs to assist in organizing the Republican party. Nominated for governor in 1855, and apparently defeated by his Democratic opponent, William A. Barstow, he succeeded, after the latter had assumed office, in proving fraudulent election returns, and was himself awarded the office by the supreme court of the state, March 24, 1856.

The railroad land grant offered by Congress to Wisconsin in 1856 made necessary a special session of the legislature for its disposition, and occasioned the most spectacular jobbery in the history of the state. The promoters of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad, who lobbied for and won the grant, donated their securities to a majority of the legislature, and rewarded Gov. Bashford with $50, 000 (nominal value) of their bonds. In the administration of his successor, a storm of exposure, made more intense by the financial depression of 1857, broke upon the state. Ex-Gov. Bashford removed to Washington, whence he soon departed to the new territory of Arizona, which was created in 1863. Here he filled the offices of attorney-general, councillor and president of the legislative council, territorial delegate, and secretary. He died in Prescott in 1878, survived by his wife, Frances (Foreman) Bashford.

Achievements

• Coles Bashford was instrumental in the government of the newly formed Arizona Territory.

Politics

He entered politics as a Whig, and deserted the Whigs to assist in organizing the Republican party.

Connections

Wife:

Frances (Foreman) Bashford

References

• Wisconsin: A History
• Tucson: The Life and Times of an American City
• Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition-1742-2004