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NEGenWeb Project
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For the last decade the need of a new capitol building has been quite evident. The rapid deterioration of the present structure made extensive repairs impracticable. The legislature of 1919 passed a law providing "for the planning and construction of a capitol building, creating a commission to conduct the same, levying a tax of one and one-half mills therefor"* The act was approved February 20, 1919. On February 21, 1919 the capitol commission was appointed, the membership being as follows:
Samuel R. McKelvie, Governor
Lincoln
William H. Thompson
Grand Island
William E. Hardy
Lincoln
Walter W. Head
Omaha
George E. Johnson, State Engineer
Lincoln
Later Thomas R. Kimball, of Omaha, was chosen as professional adviser. The capitol commission, after visiting various state capitol buildings concerned itself during 1919 and the first half of 1920 with the choice of an architect Two competitions were held, the first, limited to Nebraska architects, resulted in the choice of three who were thus privileged to enter the final contest. In the final competition there were, besides the three Nebraska architects, seven companies from outside Nebraska. In June, 1920, the capitol commission assisted by a jury of three members, chose from unidentified plans, a set which, upon opening the identified plans, proved to be those of Mr. Bertram Goodhue. of New York. His plans, as submitted, will, with slight modification, be accepted as the plan for the new capitol building. Mr. Goodhue's word picture of the plan is as follows: "A vast, though rather low structure, from whose midst rise, a great central tower, which, with its gleaming dome of golden tiles, would stand a landmark for many miles around." The year 1921 will be occupied in completing the plans and preparations for building. It is likely that the actual construction or the new capitol will begin early In 1922.
*This levy amounted, in 1919, to $1,703,843.74.
TERRITORIAL AND STATE SEAL. The territorial seal, which is here given, was in use on some of the early documents and publications.
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A bill introduced by Isaac Wiles of Cass county on May 31, and approved June 15, 1867, appropriated $25 to be used by the secretary of state for the securing of a state seal, which was thus described in the act: "The eastern part of the circle to be represented by a steamboat ascending the Missouri river; the mechanic arts to be represented by a smith with hammer and anvil; in the foreground agriculture to be represented by a settler's cabin, sheaves of wheat and stalks of growing corn; in the background a train of cars heading towards the Rocky mountains, and on the extreme west the Rocky mountains to be plainly in view; around the top of this circle to be in capital letters the motto, 'Equality before the law, ' and the circle to be surrounded with the words, 'Great seal of the state of Nebraska, March 1, 1867.'"
The seal made in accordance with the above act is the state seal now,
STATE FLOWER. A joint resolution introduced by Representative L. P. Judd of Boone county. and approved April 4, 1895, designates the golden rod (Solidago serotina) as the floral emblem of the state.
Another joint resolution introduced by Senator C. H. Sloan of Geneva, and also approved on April 4, 1895, after referring in the preamble to the fact that Nebraska had, "in a popular sense, been designated by names not in keeping with its history, industry or ambition, " conferred upon the state the popular designation " Tree planters' state."
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HISTORICAL ROSTER
TERRITORIAL OFFICERS OF NEBRASKA GOVERNORS--
Francis Burt, October 16, 1854, to October 18, 1854. Died October 18, 1854 and vacancy filled by Secretary T. B. Cuming to February 20, 1855.
Mark W. Izard, February 20, 1855, to October 25, 1857. October 25, resigned and vacancy filled by Secretary Cuming to January 12, 1858.
William A. Richardson, January 12, 1858, to December 5, 1858. Resigned December 5, and vacancy filled by Secretary J. Sterling Morton until Governor Black's arrival, May 2, 1859.
Samuel W. Black, May 2, 1859, to February 24, 1861. February 24, resigned to enter army and vacancy filled by J. Sterling Morton, secretary, until May 1.
Alvin Saunders, May 1, 1861, to February 21, 1867.SECRETARIES--
Thomas B. Cuming, August 13, 1854, to March 12, 1858. Died March 12. 1858. Was acting governor, October 18, 1854, to February 20, 1855, and October 25, 1857, to January 12, 1858.
John B. Motley, March 23, 1858, to July 12, 1858. Acting secretary until arrival of J. Sterling Morton.
J. Sterling Morton, July 12, 1858, to May 6, 1861. Acting governor, December 5, 1858, to May 2, 1859, and February 24, 1861, to May 6, 1861.
Algernon S. Paddock, May 6, 1861, to February 21, 1867. Acting governor, May 6, 1861, to May 15, 1861.AUDITORS--
Chas. B. Smith, term of office began March 16, 1855.
Samuel L. Campbell, term of office began August 3, 1857.
William E. Moore, term of office began June 1, 1858.
Robert C. Jordan, term of office began August 2, 1858.
William E. Harvey, term of office began October 8, 1861.
John Gillespie, term of office began October 10, 1865.TREASURERS--
P. Rankin, term of office began March 16, 1855.
William W. Wyman, term of office began November 6, 1855.
Augustus Kountze, term of office began October 8, 1861.LIBRARIANS--
James S. Izard, term of office began March 16, 1855.
H. C. Anderson, term of office began November 6, 1855.
John H. Kellom, term of office began August 3, 1857.
Alonzo D. Luce, term of office began November 7, 1859.
Robert S. Knox, term of office began June, 1861.SUPREME COURT-TERRITORIAL JUSTICES--
Term of Office
Chief Justice
Fenner Ferguson
October 12, 1854 -1867
October 12, 1854 -1859.
Augustus Hall
March 15, 1858 - 1861
March 15, 1858 -1861.
William Pitt Kellogg
May 27, 1861. Resigned 1861
May 27, 1861.
William Kellogg
May 8, 1865 -1867
May 8, 1865 -1867.
Edward R. Harden
December 4, 1854 -1860
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Term of Office
James Bradley
October 25, 1854-1857
Samuel W. Black
January, 1857-May, 1859
Eleazer Wakeley
April 22, 1857-May, 1861
Joseph Miller
April 9, 1859-1860.
William F. Lockwood
May 16, 1861-1867.
Joseph E. Streeter
November 18, 1861-February 20, 1863.
Elmer S. Dundy
June12, 1863-1867.
CLERKS OF SUPREME COURT--
R. C. Anderson, 1856.
Charles S. Salisbury, 1858.
E. B. Chandler, 1859.
John H. Kellom, 1861.
William Kellogg, Jr., 1865.DISTRICT ATTORNEYS--
D. S. McGary, May 10, 1855.
Jonathan H. Smith, June 9, 1855.
S. A. Strickland, June 11, 1855.
John M. Latham, November 6, 1855.
Jacob Safford, November 6, 1855.
William Kline, November 6, 1855.
James G. Chapman, August 3, 1857.
William McLennan, August 3, 1857.
George W. Doane, August 3, 1857.
U. C. Johnson, October 11, 1859.Office abolished by act of January 11, 1861. Revived June 11, 1867.
UNITED STATES MARSHALS--
Mark W. Izard, October 28, 1854.
Eli R. Doyle, April 7, 1855.
Benjamin P. Rankin, March 29, 1856.
Phineas W. Hitchcock, September 19, 1861.DELEGATES TO CONGRESS--
Napoleon B. Giddings, elected December 12, 1854.
Bird B. Chapman, elected November 6, 1855.
Fenner Ferguson, elected August 3, 1857.
Experience Estabrook, elected October 11, 1859.
Samuel G. Daily, elected October 9, 1860.
Phineas W. Hitchcock, elected October 11, 1864.
STATE OFFICERS OF NEBRASKA FROM ITS ORGANIZATION All state elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the even numbered years. The term of all elective state officers begins on the Thursday after the first Tuesday in January of the odd numbered years.
GOVERNORS--
David Butler, February 21, 1967, to June 2, 1871. Elected in 1866, but did not enter upon the duties of the office until the admission of the state into the union. Re-elected October 8, 1868. Re-elected October 18, 1870. Impeached. Succeeded June 2, 1871, by W. H. James, secretary of state, until the inauguration of Governor Furnas.
Robert W. Furnas, 1873-1875.
Silas Garber, 1875-1879.
Albinus Nance, 1879-1883.
James W. Dawes, 1893-1887.
John M. Thayer, 1887-January 15, 1891; May 5, 1891, - February 8, 1892.
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James E. Boyd, January 15, 1891 - May 5, 1891; February 8, 1892 - 1893*.
Lorenzo Crounse, 1839 -1895.
Silas A. Holcomb, 1895 -1899.
William A. Poynter, 1899 -1901.
Charles H. Dietrich, January 3, 1901 - May 1, 1901.
Ezra P. Savage, May 1, 19001 - 19031.
John If. Mickey, 1903 -1907.
George L. Sheldon, 1907 - 1909.
Ashton C. Shallenberger, 1909 - 1911.
Chester H. Aldrich, 1911 - 1913.
John H. Morehead, 1913 - 1917.
Keith Neville, 1917 - 1919.
Samuel R. McKelvie, 1919 - date.LIEUTEINANT-GOVERNORS--
Othman A. Abbott, 1877 - 1879.
Edmund C. Carns, 1879 - 1883.
A. W. Agee, 1883 - 1885.
H. H. Shedd, 1885 - 1889.
Geo. D. Meiklejohn, 1889 - 1891.
Thomas J. Majors, 1891 - 1895.
Robert E. Moore, 1895 - 1897.
James E. Harris, 1897 - 1899.
F. A. Gilbert, 1899 - 1901.
Ezra P. Savage, 1901 - 1903.
Edmund G. McGilton, 1903 - 1907.
M. R. Hopewell, 1907 - May 2. 1911. Died May 2, 1911.
S. R. McKelvie, 1913 - 1915.
James Pearson, 1915 - 1917.
Edgar Howard, 1917 - 1919.
Pelham A. Barrows, 1919 - date.SECRETARIES OF STATE--
Thomas P. Kennard, February 21, 1867 - January 10, 1871.
Wm. H. James, 1871 - 1873. Acting governor, June 2, 1871 - January 13, 1873.
John J. Gosper, 1873 - 1875.
Bruno Tzschuck, 1875 - 1879.
S. J. Alexander, 1879 - 1883.
Edward P. Roggen, 1883 - 1887.
Gilbert L. Laws, January 6, 1887 - November 20, 1889. Resigned to fill unexpired term in congress caused by the death of James Laird.
Benj. R. Cowdery, November 20, 1889 - January 8, 1891. Appointed by Governor Thayer to fill vacancy caused by resignation of G. L. Laws.
John C. Allen, 1891 - 1895.
Joel A. Piper, 1895 - 1897.
William F. Porter, 1897 - 1901.
George W. Marsh, 1901 - 1905.
A. Galusha, 1905 - 1907.
George C. Junkin, 1907 - 1911.
Addison Wait, 1911 - 1915.
Charles W. Pool, 1915 - 1919.
Darius M. Amsberry, 1919 - date.STATE AUDITORS--
John Gillespie, February 21, 1867 -J anuary 13, 1873.
Jefferson B. Weston, 1873 -1879.
F. W. Liedtke, 1879
*Election contested by Governor John M. Thayer. Suit delayed the final seating of Governor Boyd.
1Acting governor upon the resignation of Governor Charles H. Dietrich.
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STATE AUDITORS--John Wallichs, November 12, 1880-January 8, 1885.
H. A. Babcock, 1885-1889.
Thomas H. Benton, 1889-1893.
Eugene Moore, 1893-1897.
John F. Cornell, 1897-1901.
Charles Weston, 1901-1905.
Edward N. Searle, 1905-1909.
Silas R. Barton, 1909-1913.
W. B. Howard, 1913-1915.
William H. Smith, 1915-1919.
George W. Marsh, 1919-date.STATE TREASURERS--
August Kountze, February 21, 1867-January 11, 1869.
James Sweet, 1869-1871.
Henry A. Koenig, 1871-1875.
J. C. McBride, 1875-1879.
George M. Bartlett, 1879-1883.
Phelps D. Sturdervant, 1883-1885.
Charles H. Willard, 1885-1889.
John E. Hill, 1889-1893.
Joseph S. Bartley, 1893-1897.
John B. Meserve, 1897-1901.
William Stuefer, 1901-1903.
Peter Mortensen, 1903-1907.
L. G. Brian, 1907-1911.
Walter A. George, 1911-1915.
George E. Hall, 1915-1919.
Daniel B. Cropsey, 1919-date.COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC LANDS AND BUILDINGS (Office created in 1875)
F. M. Davis, 1877-1881.
A. G. Kendall, 1881-1885.
Joseph Scott, 1885-1889.
John Steen, 1889-1891.
A. R. Humphrey, 1891-1895.
Henry C. Russell, 1895-1897.
Jacob V. Wolfe, 1897-1901.
George D. Follmer, 1901-1905.
Henry M. Eaton, 1905-1909.
E. B. Cowles, 1909-1913.
Fred Beckmann, 1913-1915.
G. L. Shumway, 1915-1919.
Dan Swanson, 1919-date.ATTORNEYS GENERAL--
Champion S. Cbase, February 21, 1867-January 11, 1869.
Seth Robinson, 1869-1871.
Geo. H. Roberts, 1871-1813.
J. R. Webster, 1873-1875.
Geo. H. Roberts, 1875-1879.
C. J. Dilworth, 1879-1883.
Isaac Powers, Jr., 1883-1885.
William Leese, 1885-1891.
George H. Hastings, 1891-1895.
Arthur S. Churchill, 1895-1897.
Constantine J. Smyth, 1897-1901.
Frank N. Prout, 1901-1905.
Norris Brown, 1905-1907.
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