Gove Saulsbury

Gove Saulsbury (May 29, 1815 – July 31, 1881) was an American physician and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, and he served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware. He led opposition to civil rights for African Americans in Delaware.

Early life and career

Saulsbury was born in Mispillion Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, son of William, the then-sheiff of Kent County, and Margaret Ann Smith Saulsbury. His father was a descendant of the Salusbury Family of Wales but changed the spelling of the name after the American Revolution due to his family's loyalist sympathies. He was the older brother of U.S. Senators Willard Saulsbury, Sr., and Eli Saulsbury, and he had two brothers with unknown names. He was also the uncle of U.S. Senator Willard Saulsbury, Jr. Gove Saulsbury attended Delaware College in Newark, and he taught there for a short amount of time. He later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in 1842 and established a practice at Dover. On November 1st, 1848, he married Rosina Jane Smith and had five children: Margaret, Olivia Smith, Rosa, Gove, and William. Saulsbury was a medical doctor and lived at the northwest corner of the Green in Dover. He and his family were members of the Methodist Church. Saulsbury's choice of religious denomination sparked some controversy within the family as both of his brothers were staunch Episcopalians. In 1861 he was President of the Delaware Medical Society.

Professional and political career

Saulsbury was elected to the Delaware State Senate and served in the 1863/64 and 1865/66 sessions. He was the Speaker in the 1865/66 session and succeeded to the office of Governor of Delaware on the death of Governor William Cannon on March 1, 1865. Defeating James Riddle of New Castle County, he was elected to a full term in his own right in 1866, and continued in office until January 17, 1871. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1876.

With Saulsbury as governor, the Democratic Party took full control in Delaware. Strongly opposed to the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Saulsbury and the Democrats took every possible step to frustrate their implementation and deny the new rights given to African-Americans. This included the recommendation that African-Americans convicted of certain crimes be sold back into slavery. This fear-mongering was so successful that no Republicans were elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 1868, and hardly any were elected for many years thereafter.

When Saulsbury's term was over, he wanted to assume the U.S. Senate seat held by his brother, Willard Saulsbury. Willard had compromised himself with a well-known drinking problem, and many wanted him replaced. Unfortunately for Gove Saulsbury, the third brother, Eli Saulsbury also wanted the seat. After much balloting in the General Assembly, it became apparent to Willard that he could not win, so he switched his votes to Eli, who consequently won. Gove Saulsbury returned to his medical practice full-time.

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor)
Year	Assembly		Senate Majority	Speaker		House Majority	Speaker
1865–1866	73rd		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |William Hitch		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Shephard P. Houston
1867–1868	74th		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |James Ponder		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |William A. Polk
1869–1870	75th		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |James Williams		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |John Hickman

Death and legacy

Saulsbury died at Dover and is buried at Wesley Methodist Church Cemetery. He was President of the Delaware Medical Society in 1861, and in 1873 was one of the founders of Wesley College in Dover.

He was a strong and effective leader for a bitterly reactionary majority in Delaware, and his policies set the tone and the agenda for much political activity for a generation. According to Scharf, Saulsbury had "a deep sense of personal responsibility. He had a strong will and asserted his opinions earnestly and often, and as it seemed to those who differed with him, obstinately." Governor Robert J. Reynolds described him as "distinguished for his cunning. He was the slyest, cunningest man, and the most natural born politician Delaware ever produced." He was said to have "never apologized, compromised, or surrendered, unless it was in his interest."

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State senators have a four-year term. The governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four-year term.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Began office	Ended office	notes
State Senator	Legislature	Dover	January 6, 1863	March 1, 1865
Governor	Executive	Dover	March 1, 1865	January 15, 1867	acting
Governor	Executive	Dover	January 15, 1867	January 17, 1871

Delaware General Assembly service
Dates	Assembly	Chamber	Majority	Governor	Committees	District
1863–1864	72nd	State Senate	Democratic	William Cannon		Kent at-large
1865–1866	73rd	State Senate	Democratic	William Cannon	Speaker	Kent at-large

Election results
Year	Office		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1866	Governor		style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Gove Saulsbury	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |Democratic	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |9,810	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" |53%		style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" |James Riddle	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" |Republican	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" |8,598	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" |47%

Images

• Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover

External links

• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
• Delaware’s Governors
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at Find a GraveTemplate:EditAtWikidata
• The Political Graveyard

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965