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Benjamin T. Biggs
46th Governor of Delaware
In office January 18, 1887 – January 20, 1891
Preceded by	Charles C. Stockley
Succeeded by	Robert J. Reynolds
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district
In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	John A. Nicholson
Succeeded by	James R. Lofland
Personal details
Born	(1821-10-01)October 1, 1821 Cecil County, Maryland, U.S.
Died	December 25, 1893(1893-12-25) (aged 72) Middletown, Delaware, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Beekman
Alma mater	Wesleyan University
Occupation	Farmer
Signature

Benjamin Thomas Biggs (October 1, 1821 – December 25, 1893) was an American politician from Middletown in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of the Mexican–American War and a member of the Democratic Party, who served as U.S. Representative and 46th Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Biggs was born near Bohemia Manor in Cecil County, Maryland, son of John and Diana Bell Biggs. He attended the Methodist Pennington Seminary in Pennington, New Jersey, and Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. During the Mexican–American War he was appointed a major of the Delaware militia.

He married Mary Beekman and had five children: John, Elizabeth, Benjamin T. Jr., Jennie, and Willard. Of which only three children, John, Jennie and Willard survived. They lived at 210 North Cass Street in Middletown and were members of the Methodist Church.

Professional and political career

Biggs was a teacher and a farmer, whose time was primarily spent tending peach orchards in central New Castle County and the adjacent portion of Maryland. However, he was also a talented public speaker, and through this avocation, began a lifelong involvement in public affairs. Beginning as a member of the Whig Party, he was an instrumental figure in the Delaware Constitutional Convention of 1852.

While the work of this convention was ultimately rejected, Biggs switched his partisan allegiance to the Democratic Party when the Whig Party broke up. The Democrats were the Southern leaning, anti-abolitionist, states rights party, strongly opposed to the policies of Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans. Presumably Biggs was in general agreement with its positions. His younger brother Sewell C. Biggs (1823–1911) also identified as a Whig, before becoming identifying as a Democrat and being elected to the Delaware house in 1872, and elected as speaker the same year.

United States Congress

Biggs was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in the 1860 election, but was narrowly defeated by the People's Party candidate, George P. Fisher. The People's Party was a local coalition of the Republicans and Constitutional Union Party, and the positions of people, like Fisher, on the great issues of the day were not yet clear.

By 1868 they were, and after Delaware had experienced Federal supervision of its polling places, and the forced emancipation of its few slaves, a large majority turned permanently to the candidates of the Democratic Party. When Biggs ran again for the U.S. House, he was easily elected, defeating Republican Alfred T. Torbert in the 1868 election, and Joshua T. Heald in the 1870 election. But popularity in Delaware did not result in anything useful in the U.S. House, as Biggs joined a small and powerless minority in the 41st and 42nd congresses. He served two terms, from March 4, 1869, until March 3, 1873, during the administration of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and then retired, back to his peach orchards.

Governor of Delaware

Over the next twenty years Delaware politics were not unlike those of a state in the Deep South. In spite of a large minority of Republicans in New Castle County, hatred of the Republicans and their policies of racial equality ran high throughout the rest of the state. There were years when the Republicans were unable to elect anyone to the General Assembly and years when they did not even bother to nominate a candidate for governor.

Biggs was nominated to run for governor in 1886, and fortunately for him, it was the last year such a disparity existed between the parties. For the last time there was no Republican candidate, and he received only the token opposition of the Temperance Reform Party candidate, James R. Hoffecker, whom he defeated easily. Biggs served from January 18, 1887, until January 20, 1891. Two years later the Republicans began their long road back and took advantage of splits in the Democratic leadership to elect a small majority in the state House. Meanwhile, Biggs did as countless governors before him, and pleaded with the General Assembly for all kinds of reform, including better representation for New Castle County, and reform of the voting procedures. And as usual, he was largely ignored, except for a provision to establish a State Hospital for the Insane, now the Delaware State Hospital at Farnhurst.

Death and legacy

Biggs died at his home in Middletown, Delaware, and was buried in the Bethel Church Cemetery at Chesapeake City, Maryland. His remains were moved again to an unknown location in 1965 upon a widening of the nearby Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. His son, John, was appointed deputy-Attorney General of Delaware in 1885, and Attorney-General in 1887 while he was governor. The Gov. Benjamin T. Biggs Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Almanac

Elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November. The governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, and has a four-year term. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two-year term.

References

1. "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, January 27, 2022, retrieved January 31, 2022
2. ^ Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware: 1609-1888. Philadelphia, PA: LJ Richards & Co. p. 392.
3. ^ Miller, Richard (2013). States At War: A Reference Guide for Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey in the Civil War. University Press of New England. p. 217. ISBN 9781611686210.
4. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

Notes

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
• Hancock, Harold Bell. (1961). Delaware during the Civil War. Wilmington, Delaware: Historical Society of Delaware. ISBN 0-924117-24-9.
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
• Wilson, Emerson. (1969). Forgotten Heroes of Delaware. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Deltos Publishing Company.

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
• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Benjamin T. Biggs at Find a Grave
• Delaware’s Governors
• The Political Graveyard
• Delaware Historical Society
• University of Delaware Library

v t e Governors and lieutenant governors of Delaware
Governors	McKinly McKean Read Caesar Rodney Dickinson Cook Van Dyke T. Collins Davis Clayton Bedford Rogers Bassett Sykes D. Hall Mitchell Truitt Haslet D. Rodney Clark Molleston Stout J. Collins Caleb Rodney Haslet Thomas Paynter Polk Hazzard Bennett Polk Comegys Cooper Stockton Maull Temple Tharp Ross Causey Burton Cannon Saulsbury Ponder Cochran J. Hall Stockley Biggs Reynolds Marvil Watson Tunnell Hunn Lea Pennewill Miller Townsend Denney Robinson Buck McMullen Bacon Carvel Boggs Buckson Carvel Terry Peterson Tribbitt du Pont Castle Wolf Carper Minner Markell Carney Hall-Long (designate) Meyer (elect)
Lieutenant governors	Cannon Parker Mendinhall Ferguson Eliason Bush Anderson Hazel Corley Cooch MacCollum Carvel Bayard Rollins Buckson Lammot Tribbitt Bookhammer McGinnis Castle Woo Wolf Minner Carney Denn Hall-Long Gay (elect)

v t e Members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware
Vining Patten Latimer Bayard C. A. Rodney Broom Van Dyke Ridgely Cooper Clayton McLane Hall D. Rodney Johns Milligan Robinson G. B. Rodney J. W. Houston Riddle Cullen Whiteley Fisher Temple Smithers Nicholson Biggs Lofland J. Williams Martin Lore Penington Causey Willis Handy J. H. Hoffecker W. O. Hoffecker Ball H. A. Houston Burton Heald Brockson Miller Polk Layton Boyce R. G. Houston Adams Stewart Allen G. S. Williams Traynor Willey Boggs Warburton McDowell Haskell Roth du Pont Evans Carper Castle Carney Blunt Rochester McBride (elect)

• 1821 births
• 1893 deaths
• Methodists from Delaware
• People from Middletown, Delaware
• Wesleyan University alumni
• Farmers from Delaware
• American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
• Governors of Delaware
• Democratic Party governors of Delaware
• Delaware Whigs
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware
• People from Cecil County, Maryland
• The Pennington School alumni
• 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives