Albert Edward Mead (December 14, 1861 – March 19, 1913) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the fifth governor of Washington from 1905 to 1909.[1]
Albert Edward Mead | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th Governor of Washington | |
| In office January 11, 1905 – January 27, 1909 | |
| Lieutenant | Charles E. Coon |
| Preceded by | Henry McBride |
| Succeeded by | Samuel G. Cosgrove |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 48th district | |
| In office January 9, 1893 – January 14, 1895 | |
| Preceded by | A. W. Tiffany |
| Succeeded by | R. J. Glen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Albert Edward Mead December 14, 1861 Manhattan, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | March 19, 1913 (aged 51) Bellingham, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lizzie Brown (1887–1898) Mina Jane Hosmer Pifer (1899–1913) |
Biography
editMead was born in Kansas on December 14, 1861. There is conflicting information about his town of birth: most reliable sources say it was Manhattan, Kansas, but there is one claim he was born in Ashland, Kansas.[1][2] He received his formal education at Southern Illinois Normal University and at Northwestern University's Union College of Law in Chicago.[2]
Career
editAfter graduating from law school in 1885, Mead returned to Kansas to practice law for four years. He married Elizabeth "Lizzy" Pauline Brown and they had one daughter, Mary; and three sons, Wendell, Roland, and William.[3] In 1889, he moved to Washington Territory. Mead served as Mayor of Blaine, Washington (1892), as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives (1892), and as prosecuting attorney for Whatcom County, Washington from 1898 to 1903. His wife, "Lizzy", died in 1898, and on May 5, 1899, he married Mina Jane Hosmer Pifer, and they had one son, Albert Vincent.
Mead's election to the governor's office in 1904 over U.S. Senator George Turner was considered a significant upset at the time.[4] During his tenure, he supported legislation establishing a Railroad Commission, and acts establishing a State Bank Examiner, a State Tax Commission, and a State Highway Commission.[5]
After his term as governor ended, Mead moved to Bellingham, Washington, where he returned to private practice as a lawyer and served as president of the Chamber of Commerce.[1]
Death
editMead died in Bellingham on March 19, 1913, and is interred at Bayview Cemetery.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Washington State Bar Association (1913). Proceedings of the 25th Annual Convention. The Association. p. 181.
- ^ a b "Washington State Library Biography". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "Albert E. Mead". Washington Secretary of State. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
- ^ "Ex-Senator Turner Beaten" (PDF). The New York Times. November 10, 1904. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
- ^ "Albert E. Mead". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
- ^ "Albert E. Mead Dies Suddenly". Spokane Chronicle. Bellingham. March 20, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved April 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Further reading
edit- Meany, Edmond S. Governors of Washington: Territorial and State. University of Washington (1915). Originally published as a series of brief biographical articles in the weekday issues of the Post-Intelligencer from September 27 to October 22, 1915.
External links
edit- National Governors Association
- Albert E. Mead at Find a Grave
- Washington Secretary of State. Archived December 8, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
- Photo of his wife in 1905