Representative Henry Harrison Markham

Henry Harrison Markham (November 16, 1840 – October 9, 1923) was an American lawyer, Union Army officer, and Republican politician who served as the 18th governor of California from 1891 to 1895 and represented California’s 6th congressional district in the 49th United States Congress from 1885 to 1887. He was born in Wilmington, Essex County, New York, on November 16, 1840. Markham attended the common schools of his hometown and later pursued further studies at Wheeler’s Academy in Vermont, receiving the education that prepared him for both military and legal careers. In 1861, on the eve of the Civil War, he moved west to Wisconsin, a relocation that would shape his early professional and political trajectory.

With the outbreak of the American Civil War, Markham entered the Union Army, initially enlisting as a private in Company G of the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Over the course of his service he rose to the rank of second lieutenant. He participated in major campaigns, most notably serving under General William Tecumseh Sherman during the March to the Sea in 1864, one of the decisive operations of the war. In early 1865 he was wounded at the Battle of Rivers’ Bridge in South Carolina, and following his injury he was discharged from the service. His wartime experience and record as a Union officer later contributed to his public reputation and political appeal.

After the war, Markham returned to Wisconsin and settled in Milwaukee, where he turned to the study of law. He read law and was admitted to the bar in 1867, beginning a legal practice in Milwaukee in both the state and federal courts. On May 17, 1876, he married Mary A. Dana in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Seeking new opportunities in the rapidly developing West, Markham purchased a 23‑acre ranch in Pasadena, California, and in 1879 he and his family relocated there. In Pasadena he continued to practice law and became increasingly involved in civic affairs and local development.

Markham quickly emerged as a community leader in Pasadena. He served on the local school board, contributing to the organization and oversight of public education in the growing city, and he was one of the founders of the Pasadena public library, helping to establish an important cultural and educational institution. He was also involved in business ventures, including participation in the Calico Union Mining Company, reflecting the broader economic expansion of California in the late nineteenth century. A committed Republican, he became a longtime member of the Pasadena Republican Club and, as his political prominence grew, was popularly referred to during his later gubernatorial campaign as “the dashing colonel from Pasadena,” a nod both to his Civil War service and his public persona.

As a member of the Republican Party representing California, Markham entered national politics in the 1880s. He was elected as a Republican to the 49th United States Congress in 1884, representing California’s 6th congressional district. His term in the House of Representatives ran from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1887. During this single term in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process at a time of significant economic and political change in the United States, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his California constituents. Despite the opportunities for continued national service, Markham declined to seek renomination in 1886 and returned to his legal practice and civic activities in Pasadena.

Markham’s statewide prominence culminated in his election as the 18th governor of California in 1890. He was inaugurated in January 1891 and served a four‑year term that coincided with a period of severe economic difficulty. During his administration, California’s economy suffered badly from the effects of the Panic of 1893, part of a nationwide financial crisis that led to widespread unemployment and business failures. In response, Markham strongly supported initiatives aimed at stimulating economic recovery and promoting the state’s resources. One of the most notable efforts of his governorship was his backing of the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894, held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Conceived in part as a means to attract investment, tourism, and commerce to California, the exposition was a resounding success and showcased the state’s agricultural, industrial, and cultural achievements. Despite this and other efforts, Markham chose not to seek a second term and declined to run for reelection in 1894.

In his private life, Markham was a family man as well as a public figure. He and his wife, Mary A. Dana Markham, raised five daughters—Marie, Alice, Gertrude, Genevieve, and Hildreth—on their Pasadena ranch. His residence and surrounding property later became associated with the historic character of the neighborhood, reflecting his long-standing presence in the community. After leaving the governorship in 1895, Markham remained in Pasadena, where he continued to be regarded as an elder statesman and prominent citizen, though he did not again seek major public office.

Henry Harrison Markham died at his home in Pasadena, California, on October 9, 1923, at the age of 82. He was interred at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California. His life encompassed service as a Union Army officer in the Civil War, a legal career in Wisconsin and California, a term in the United States House of Representatives, and a governorship marked by economic crisis and efforts at statewide promotion and recovery, leaving a lasting imprint on both California’s political history and the civic life of Pasadena.