Iowa Almanac
Iowa Almanac -- Tuesday, December 03, 2024
The first inauguration. More from the Iowa Almanac in a moment. It wouldn't be Christmas without Camp Courageous Fruit Cakes, and they're now available in stores across Iowa and at Camp Courageous.org/fruitcakes. Camp Courageous Fruit Cakes are generously filled with cherries, nuts, pineapple, coconut, and just the right amount of cake batter to hold it all together. Best of all, proceeds go to support Camp Courageous near Monticello, Iowa. For a list of stores or to order online, go to Camp Courageous.org/fruitcakes. Iowa became a state in December of 1846. The territorial government was converted to a state government, and Iowa's first state governor was an unlikely choice. Ansel Briggs was a Vermont native who moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1839 after hearing of great opportunities in the new land. He opened a stagecoach business and earned a good living transporting mail for the government. His travel in eastern Iowa for his business led him to become well-known and he soon held various positions, declaring himself a Democrat. As Iowa was forming its state government, Briggs became a candidate for governor, using as his slogan a toast he had once made at a banquet. No banks but earth, and they well-tilled. He won the nomination against two opponents and then won the general election against his Whig opponent by only 247 votes out of more than 15,000 cast. On December 3, 1846, an informal inauguration was held for Iowa's first governor, a committee of two senators and two representatives escorted Briggs into the house chamber of the capital in Iowa City. The Chief Justice administered an oath. Then the governor sat and listened as his inaugural address was read aloud by a friend who was a member of the state senate. He asked for the general assembly's aid and indulgence as he began the job. Briggs declined to serve more than that first four-year term, believing the job should be placed in more capable hands. A consistently humble man, he did not live in Iowa City, the capital, while governor. He lived in his Iowa hometown of Andrew in Jackson County. Despite the fact there were no traveled roads from there to Iowa City at the time, Briggs would make the trips on horseback and on foot days and nights at a time. That's how Ansel Briggs got to Iowa City to be sworn in as Iowa's first governor on this date in 1846. And that's Iowa Almanac for December 3. There's more online at IowaAlmanac.com. Until tomorrow, I'm Jeff Stein.