[John Miller] [Andrew H. Burke] [Eli C. D. Shortridge] [ Roger Allin] [ Frank A. Briggs]

First Governor of North Dakota

Political Background:

Most of John Miller's life was spent in bonanza farming and related business. In 1878, Miller and his partner Jeremiah W. Dwight came to North Dakota and purchased 17,000 acres of rich Red River Valley Land in Richland County. They organized the Dwight Farm and Land Company with a board of thirteen directors to manage operations of the huge bonanza farm.

Though Miller had no political aspirations, he was persuaded to run for governor. Once in office he demonstrated that he could not be bribed or swayed by powerful political forces. He resisted the efforts of outside lobbyists, most of the state's newspapers, and influential politicians such as Alexander McKenzie, and refused to allow the Louisiana Lottery into North Dakota.

After declining to run for office again, Miller returned to manage and expand his bonanza farm operations. In 1896 the John Miller Land Company was organized with offices in Amenia, North Dakota, and Duluth, Minnesota. The company's purpose was "the buying and selling of grain, produce, and merchandise; the handling of grain and produce on commission; and the purchasing, owning, leasing, and operating of elevators."

In 1906 the Chaffee-Miller Milling Company was incorporated with Miller as its president to acquire and manage public and private grain warehouses, and to manufacture and sell flour, feed, and other mill products.

John Miller was a wealthy bonanza farmer in the Red River Valley. He returned to agriculture after serving as governor, and expanded his business ventures to include buying and milling wheat in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Constitutional convention parade at Bismarck, July 4, 1889.

Before he became North Dakota's first governor, John Miller's only political experience was his participation in the 1889 Constitutional Convention.

Second Governor

Political Background:

The life of Andrew Horace Burke reads almost like a stereotypical rags-to-riches romance of the American West. Born in New York City in 1850, Burke was orphaned at the age of four, and became a ward of the Children's Aid Society. As was the custom at that time, Burke, along with many other orphans, was shipped out west to be given to wealthy farmers. (Children were adopted and given room and board in exchange for labor in the adaptive parents' fields and homes.) Young Burke was adopted by a farm family near Noblesville, Indiana.

In his early teens, Burke enlisted as a drummer boy with an Indiana regiment in the Civil War. After the war he returned to Indiana and finished his education, saving enough money to attend Asbury College (later renamed DePauw) for two years.

Burke and his wife arrived at Casselton, Dakota Territory, in 1880 with only $65.00. Ten years later he was governor of North Dakota. Burke began as a general store bookkeeper, then became cashier of the First National Bank of Casselton. He served as treasurer of Cass County for six years, then became governor.

During Burke's administration, it was discovered that North Dakota did not have any laws for the selection of presidential electors. This meant that North Dakota citizens could not vote for the president. Burke called for a special session of the legislature to convene on June 1, 1891, and attended to the law. The state participated in the 1892 elections when Grover Cleveland became president.

Burke lost favor with farmers of the state when he vetoed a bill that would have forced railroads to lease sites near the tracks for building grain elevators and warehouses under conditions that were not acceptable to the railroads.

Andrew Burke was a penniless orphaned child in New York City. He served as a drummer boy in the Civil War.

Third Governor

Political Background:

Eli C. D. Shortridge grew up in Monroe County, Missouri, and finished his education at an academy near Paris, Missouri. He came to Larimore with his family in 1882. He ran for governor on a "fusion ticket" composed of Populists, Democrats, and the Farmers' Alliance, who fused into a single political party.

During his administration Shortridge approved the issuance of $50,000 in bonds to construct the south wing of the state capitol. He approved the purchase of an executive mansion for the governor's residence. He also supported an appropriation for a state elevator at Duluth, Minnesota. An out-of-state terminal elevator was not constructed largely due to a provision requiring North Dakota sovereignty over any elevator site. The bill passed, but with the provision that Minnesota or Wisconsin would have to cede sovereignty over the site created an unacceptable situation for both states. That provision was inserted by agents of political boss Alex McKenzie, who functioned as a representative of railroads and corporations.

Governor Shortridge retired from office after one term. He was appointed clerk of the United States Land Office at Devils Lake.

Eli C. D. Shortridge was elected to try and fight the influence of early Dakota political boss Alexander McKenzie. McKenzie represented the interests of railroads and corporations. Governor Shortridge represented the "fusion" party - a mixture of Populist farmers and Democrats.

Eli C. D. Shortridge was the first governor to live in the executive mansion. In 1893 the state purchased the house from Asa Fisher for use as the official residence of North Dakota governors.

Fourth Governor

Political Background:

When Roger Allin was three years old, his family emigrated from England to Ontario, Canada, where he received a public school education and went into farming. In 1881 he came to Dakota Territory and filed a claim for 160 acres in Walsh County. Eventually his holdings expanded to 240 acres. In 1882 he was elected justice of the peace, and served several terms.

As governor, Allin approved of laws creating an historical commission and a geological survey of the state. He also approved of garnishment laws and regulation of dairy products.

The financial panic of 1893 caused a state of economic depression. During Allin's administration, crops were poor and prices were low for farm products. Consequently, there was a shortfall in the state's collected tax revenue. There was not enough money to pay the legislative appropriations for governmental operating expenses.

Governor Allin invoked a line-item veto (to veto separate items in the appropriations bill). He cut funding for the state university at Grand Forks and the state colleges at Valley City and Mayville. The citizens of Grand Forks, Traill, and Barnes Counties were furious and condemned the veto as an unnecessary discrimination against the educational interests of the state.

Governor Allin was a native of England.

Fifth Governor

Political Background:

Born and educated in Minnesota, Frank A. Briggs worked as a printer and newspaperman before coming to North Dakota in 1881. He worked in real estate for a while at Mandan. After serving as Morton County treasurer and North Dakota state auditor, he was elected governor in 1886.

During Briggs's administration, a general railway law was passed that regulated the transportation of passengers and freight. Also, a general revenue law was passed. Many of its provisions had been suggested by Briggs.

The citizens of North Dakota were stunned when Briggs became the first state governor to die in office. His death was caused by tuberculosis. Briggs's term of office was completed by Lieutenant Governor Joseph M. Devine.

Governor Briggs's body lying in state at the North Dakota governor's mansion, August 1898.

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