John B. WellerDemocratic
Born: February 22, 1812 in Hamilton County, Ohio
Married: Four times (including Lizzie Staunton)
Died: August 17, 1875 in New Orleans, Louisiana
1833-1836: District Attorney, Butler County [Ohio]
1936-1846: Trustee, Miami University
1839-1845: Member of Congress [Ohio] (Democrat)
1848: Candidate for Governor of Ohio (Lost)
1860: Chairman, Breckenridge State Convention
1860-1861: U.S. Minister to the Second Federal Republic of Mexico
1864: Delegate, Democratic National Convention
- PLACENAME: Fort Weller (in Mendocino County) was a U.S. Army fort that opened and closed in 1859.
- In 1859, Weller signed legislation that would have authorized counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare to separate from California to form the territory of Colorado.
- Weller spent a fair bit of his inaugural address discussing how to best "strike more terror amongst the Indians" and arguing that other states should be permitted to "enjoy" slavery "without being disturbed by us."
- QUOTABLE: "The practice of leaving the most important bills to the last days of the session is, in my opinion, a very bad one, and should be abandoned. Ample time should be given to the Executive to examine every bill passed by the Legislature, for it cannot be expected that I will attach my signature to any until I understand its contents." (1858)
- QUOTABLE: "A well educated people never can be enslaved. Violence and commotion are the natural fruits of ignorance." (1858)
Source: "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present" (U.S. Library of Congress) [http://bioguide.congress.gov/]
Source: History of Political Conventions in California, 1849-1892 by Winfield J. Davis (1893)