Interim Content

Cass, Lewis

Biography

9 Oct. 1782–17 June 1866. Teacher, lawyer, soldier, author, politician. Born in Exeter, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire. Son of Jonathan Cass and Mary Gilman. Attended Phillips Academy, 1792–1799, in Exeter, where he also taught. Teacher in Wilmington, New Castle Co., Delaware, 1799. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1799, and practiced law. Moved to Zanesville, Muskingum Co., Ohio, 1802. Elected prosecuting attorney for Muskingum Co., 1804. Elected to Ohio state legislature, 1806. Married Elizabeth Spencer, 1806. Served as U.S. marshal for Ohio, 1807–1813. Served in War of 1812 as colonel and brigadier general. Appointed governor of Michigan Territory, Oct. 1813. Moved to Wayne Co., Michigan Territory, by 1820. Moved to Detroit, by 1830. Appointed U.S. Secretary of War, 1831, and U.S. Minister to France, 1836. Democratic presidential candidate, 1844. Elected U.S. senator from Michigan, 1845 and 1851. Appointed U.S. Secretary of State, 1857. Died in Detroit.

Links

Photograph by Matthew B. Brady. (Courtesy Library of Congress, Washington DC.)

Lewis Cass Photograph by Matthew B. Brady. (Courtesy Library of Congress, Washington DC.)

Gender
Male