Charles Anderson (June 1, 1814 – September 2, 1895) was first a Whig and later a Republican politician from Ohio. He served briefly as the 27th governor of Ohio.

Early life

Anderson was born in "Soldier's Retreat," Louisville, Kentucky, son of Richard Clough Anderson and Elizabeth (Clark) Anderson, sister of George Rogers Clark and William Clark, the famous explorer. Anderson graduated from Miami University in 1833, studied law, and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1843. He moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he began a law practice and was later elected county prosecutor.

Family life

Anderson was born to a prominent family, his father, Richard Clough Anderson Sr., was an aide to the Marquis de Lafayette during the American Revolution.

Charles Anderson's brother, Major General Robert Anderson, was also a United States Army officer, notable for his defense of Fort Sumter at the outset of the American Civil War. Another brother, William Marshall Anderson, was a noted explorer, politician, and briefly a member of the New Virginia Colony of ex-Confederates in Mexico during the reign of Emperor Maximilian. (Note: Rev. William C. Anderson, who served as president of Miami University from 1849 to 1854, is sometimes erroneously cited as an Anderson brother.)

References

  • Ohio History Central bio for Charles Anderson
  • National Governors Association:Ohio Governor Charles Anderson, nga.org. Accessed March 28, 2024.