Charles Smith Olden was an American politician, who served as the 19th Governor of New Jersey (1860-1863).
Background
Charles Smith Olden was born on February 19, 1799. He was the son of Hart and Temperance (Smith) Olden and was born on the family farm at Stony Brook near Princeton, New Jersey, originally purchased in 1696 by his ancestor, William Olden, who had come from England some time earlier. This farm had been the scene of the major action of the Revolutionary battle of Princeton.
Education
Charles began his education in Princeton and was continuing it at the Law-renceville school nearby when, at fifteen, he gave up school to assist his father in running the little general store in Princeton.
Career
From 1826 to 1832, Olden was engaged in business at New Orleans so successfully that he was able to return to Princeton, purchase part of the family farm, erect a fine house, and settle down to the life of a gentleman farmer. That was his chief occupation for the remainder of his life, though he became a director of the Trenton Banking Company in 1842. Modest and retiring, he did not seek political office, but in 1844 he was persuaded to run for a seat in the state Senate from Mercer County. He won the election and held the position for six years.
In 1859 an opposition group, composed of Republicans, Whigs, and National Americans, unanimously nominated him for the governorship, to run against the Democratic candidate, E. R. V. Wright. He was no orator, but he was popular with the farmers of the state and won the election by a close margin. His inaugural address indicated a desire to accomplish several reforms, particularly in connection with the state prison and the treatment of the insane. These were overshadowed, however, by the Civil War. Working quietly but incessantly, he tried to inject life into the obsolete state military system and obtain funds for the almost empty state treasury. A strong Union man, he cooperated in every possible way with the federal government.
Though he had no formal legal training, Charles Olden was a judge of the New Jersey court of errors and appeals and a member of the court of pardons from 1868 until his resignation in 1873. He was also a riparian commissioner from 1869 to 1875 and served as head of the New Jersey electors in the presidential election of 1872. He was treasurer of the College of New Jersey (Princeton) from 1845 until 1869 and was a trustee of Princeton from 1863 to 1875. He rendered the college a great service when, in 1866, he wrote a letter outlining Princeton's needs to his old school friend, John C. Green. Charles Olden died at Princeton and was buried in the old Friend's burying ground not far from his home.
Achievements
Membership
Charles Olden was a member of the New Jersey Senate (1845–1850); the court of pardons (1868-1873).
Connections
Charles Olden married Phoebe Ann Smith. They had no children of their own but adopted a daughter.