Louis K. Church

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Louis Kossuth Church (December 11, 1846 – 1898) was a New York Supreme Court justice, a member of the New York Legislature, and the eighth Governor of Dakota Territory.

[edit] Biography

Louis K. Church was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was educated at the Hudson River Institute at Claverack, New York. After studying law at the office of Judge N. B. Moore, Church was admitted to the bar. He practiced law with Judge Moore until eventually practicing by himself in 1874. In 1882, Church was elected to the New York Legislature. Then, President Cleveland appointed Church as judge in the Third District of Dakota Territory.

Because of Church's good reputation as a judge, President Cleveland appointed Louis Church as Governor of Dakota Territory. A number of Democrats in Dakota Territory were disappointed in the appointment; because, they had expected the appointment of Dakota resident, Frank M. Ziebach. Church became Governor on February 21, 1887. He scrutinized every bill and restrained excessive spending with his veto power. He allowed the reform school to be established at Plankington. Church opposed the division of Dakota Territory into two separate states. Governor Church and former Governors, Nehemiah G. Ordway and John L. Pennington, wanted Dakota to enter the Union as a single state.

In spite of his integrity, Church became very unpopular as Governor because of his opposition to separate statehood. When Benjamin Harrison defeated Cleveland as President, Church became a lame duck who was generally ignored by the territorial legislature. On March 4, 1889, Harrison was inaugurated as President; and, Church resigned as Governor on March 9, 1889.

After leaving office, Louis Church returned to practicing law, first in Huron and then in Seattle, Washington. During a trip to Alaska in 1898, Church died after developing pneumonia.