Fenimore Chatterton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Fenimore Chatterton
File:F Chatterton.jpg
6th Governor of Wyoming
In office
April 28, 1903 – January 2, 1905
Preceded byDeForest Richards
Succeeded byBryant Butler Brooks
3rd Secretary of State of Wyoming
In office
January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1907
GovernorDeForest Richards
Himself
Bryan Butler Brooks
Preceded byCharles W. Burdick
Succeeded byWilliam Schnitger
Member of the Wyoming State Legislature
In office
1890-1893
Personal details
Born(1860-07-21)July 21, 1860
Oswego County, New York
DiedMay 9, 1958(1958-05-09) (aged 97)
PartyRepublican
SpouseStella Wyland Chatterton
Alma materGeorge Washington University
University of Michigan

Fenimore Chatterton (July 21, 1860 – May 9, 1958) was an American businessman, politician, and lawyer who served as the sixth governor of Wyoming from 1903 to 1905.

Biography

[edit | edit source]

Chatterton was born in Oswego County, New York, but raised in Washington, D.C. He attended the George Washington University, then Millersville State Normal School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1878, he moved to Sheridan, in Wyoming Territory, and set up as a businessman. He received a law degree from the University of Michigan in 1892. Chatterton married Stella Wyland Chatterton.

Career

[edit | edit source]

In 1888, he began his political career by successfully running for treasurer and probate judge of Carbon County. He served time in two classes of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1890 until 1893. He was the Wyoming Republican state chair from 1893 to 1894.[1]

In 1898, he was elected Secretary of State, but his tenure was interrupted by the death of Governor DeForest Richards in 1903, thrusting him into the position of governor. Chatterdon served as governor from April 28, 1903, to January 2, 1905.[2] It was during Chatterton's time as Governor that the hanging of Tom Horn occurred; it has been speculated that Chatterton's failure to win re-election as governor in 1905 was the result of his refusal to commute Horn's death sentence. Chatterton was not nominated by his party to fill the office of governor for the 1904 election, but continued to serve as Secretary of State until his term expired in 1907.

After his term as Secretary of State expired, Chatterton did not serve in public office again. He set up a private law practice, from which he retired in 1932.

Death and legacy

[edit | edit source]

Chatterton died on May 9, 1958, and is interred at Lakeview Cemetery in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He was an Episcopalian and a member of the Knights Templar Masonic Order.

Chatterton has been credited as the first to announce the Wyoming (song) as the official state song, during the Industrial Convention in 1903. The song was later endorsed as the official song by the state press association, state industrial convention and the state university.[3][4]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fenimore Chatterton.

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Fenimore_Chatterton&oldid=10384042"