Gustav Philipp Körner, also spelled Gustave or Gustavus Koerner (born 20 November 1809 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany - died 9 April 1896 in Belleville, Illinois) was an Illinois lawyer, politician and historian.
He graduated 1832 from the University of Heidelberg with a degree in law. Following the Frankfurter Wachensturm in 1833, an attempt by students to start a revolution in all German states, he had to emigrate to the United States. He studied U.S. jurisprudence at Transylvania University, 1834–1835, after which he practised in Belleville, Illinois.
He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1842,[1] served on the Illinois Supreme Court from 1845 to 1848, and served as 12th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1853 to 1857. Originally a Democrat, he became a member of the Republican Party when it formed, and helped formulate its anti-slavery platform. As a friend, he took over some of Abraham Lincoln's cases when Lincoln was elected president.
He was instrumental in raising the 43rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment in 1861, but, before its organization was completed, he was appointed colonel of volunteers and assigned as aide to Gen. John C. Frémont, upon whose removal he was assigned to Gen. Henry W. Halleck's staff, but resigned in April 1862 owing to impaired health. Shortly thereafter, he succeeded Carl Schurz as United States Ambassador to Spain.
In 1867 he was appointed president of the board of trustees that organized the Soldiers' Orphans' Home at Bloomington, Illinois, and in 1870 became president of the first board of railroad commissioners of Illinois.
After supporting Grant in 1868, he supported the Liberal Republican Party in 1872. He supported Samuel J. Tilden in 1876 and remained with the Democrats thereafter.[1]
He founded the public library in Belleville.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Carl Schurz |
United States Minister to Spain November 4, 1862 – July 20, 1864 |
Succeeded by John P. Hale |
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