June 7, 1860

The Republicans nominated Austin Blair for governor.

In a meeting at Detroit’s Merrill Hall, the Republicans chose Austin Blair of Jackson as their gubernatorial candidate. Born in New York in 1818, Blair arrived in Michigan in 1837. He was elected to the state House in 1845 as a Whig. A founder of the Michigan Republican party, Blair served in the state Senate before being elected governor in 1860. Re-elected in 1862, Blair was a firm opponent of slavery and became one of the nation’s leading governors to support Abraham Lincoln’s efforts to win the Civil War.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.