John Judson Bagley

July 24, 1832 (age 49)

Medina, New York, New York, United States of America

Bagley was initially raised in Lockport, New New York However, at the age of eight, he moved with his family to Constantine, Michigan. At age thirteen, he moved, this time to the opposite side of the state – to Owosso, Michigan. Bagley moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1847 as an apprentice and starting his working career in a small chewing tobacco shop of Isaac Miller. Bagley bought out Miller after seven years and renamed his store the Mayflower Tobacco Company, turning it into an industry leader that competed against other Detroit tobacco brands–at the time, tobacco was a major industry in Detroit. He also served as an alderman in Detroit. They had seven children together. Bagley helped to organize the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company and served as its president from 1867–1872. During that time, he was also chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1868–1870. Bagley served as Governor of Michigan between 1873 and 1877. He encouraged the establishment of a state commission to regulate railroads, dealt with the matter of juvenile delinquency, and led the effort to establish the state Board of Health and the state Fish Commission. Bagley, a Unitarian, was an enthusiastic supporter of prohibition and passed the liquor-tax law. Bagley died in San Francisco at the age of forty-nine from Tuberculosis, almost five years after leaving office. He was interred in Woodmere Cemetery of Detroit, Michigan.

John Judson Bagley

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governor of Michigan politician

Background

Bagley was born in Medina, New York to John and Mary M. (Smith) Bagley.

Career

Bagley was initially raised in Lockport, New New York However, at the age of eight, he moved with his family to Constantine, Michigan. At age thirteen, he moved, this time to the opposite side of the state – to Owosso, Michigan.

Bagley moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1847 as an apprentice and starting his working career in a small chewing tobacco shop of Isaac Miller.

Bagley bought out Miller after seven years and renamed his store the Mayflower Tobacco Company, turning it into an industry leader that competed against other Detroit tobacco brands–at the time, tobacco was a major industry in Detroit. He also served as an alderman in Detroit.

They had seven children together. Bagley helped to organize the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company and served as its president from 1867–1872.

During that time, he was also chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1868–1870.

Bagley served as Governor of Michigan between 1873 and 1877. He encouraged the establishment of a state commission to regulate railroads, dealt with the matter of juvenile delinquency, and led the effort to establish the state Board of Health and the state Fish Commission. Bagley, a Unitarian, was an enthusiastic supporter of prohibition and passed the liquor-tax law.

Bagley died in San Francisco at the age of forty-nine from Tuberculosis, almost five years after leaving office.

He was interred in Woodmere Cemetery of Detroit, Michigan.

Achievements

In 1855, he won election to the Detroit Board of Education, a position he held three years, by which time he had helped found the Republican Party.

Membership

Bagley also served on the Detroit Common Council from 1860 to 1861, and was a member of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners from 1865 to 1872.

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