Governor Edwin Baruch Winans

EDWIN B. WINANS, the twenty-second governor of Michigan, was born in Avon, New York on May 16, 1826. His education was attained at Albion College in Michigan, however he left school before graduating. He went West, seeking his fortune in the Gold Rush craze. In 1858, he returned to Michigan and settled on a farm in Hamburg. Winans entered politics in 1861, serving as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, a position he held until 1865. He also served as a delegate to the 1867 State Constitutional Convention, and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1883 to 1887. Winans won election to the Michigan governorship in 1890, and was sworn into office on January 1, 1891. During his tenure, several election reform bills were sanctioned; the most significant of which was the secret Australian ballot. After completing his term, Winans left office on January 1, 1893, and retired from public service. Governor Edwin B. Winans passed away on July 4, 1894, and was buried in the Hamburg Cemetery in Hamburg, Michigan.