George Laird Shoup (June 15, 1836December 21, 1904) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Idaho, in addition to its last territorial governor. He served several months after statehood in 1890 and then became one of the state's first United States senators.

Early life

Born in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh, Shoup was educated in the public school system.

During the Civil War, he enlisted with the independent scouts working in New Mexico Territory, Colorado Territory, and Texas. Shoup was commissioned as a second lieutenant when the 3rd Colorado Cavalry Regiment was formed in 1861 and was mustered out as a colonel in December 1864.

After the war, Shoup moved to Virginia City, Montana Territory, and then settled across the continental divide in Salmon, a city in Idaho Territory that he helped found. Shoup was elected the state's first governor in October. He served as governor of the new state for only a few weeks. In November 1890 the Idaho Legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate. Shoup resigned as governor in December to take his Senate seat and was succeeded by lieutenant governor N. B. Willey.

In the U.S. Senate for over a decade, from 1890 to 1901, Shoup had many interests, including pensions, education, and military affairs. He was chairman of the Committee on Territories. In that position he advocated liberal and just treatment of the Native Americans. and retired from public life and resided in Boise. He gave his support to fellow Pennsylvania native Weldon Heyburn of the Silver Valley, who defeated Boise attorney William Borah for the nomination and Democrat James Hawley of Boise for the seat. Four years later, Borah easily won the other U.S. Senate seat, and served for nearly 33 years.

Death

Shoup died in Boise, Idaho at the age 68 on December 21, 1904, and was given a state funeral in Idaho. He is interred in the Boise Pioneer Cemetery, alongside his wife Lena, who died in Salmon, Idaho in 1927.

Legacy

thumb|left|120px|George Shoup ([[National Statuary Hall Collection|NSHC)]]

In 1910, the state of Idaho donated a marble statue of Shoup to the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol. It was joined by a statue of Senator Borah (1865–1940) in 1947. During World War II, a Liberty ship named S.S. George L. Shoup (hull #2004) was launched at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland in May 1943. A new men's dormitory at the University of Idaho in Moscow was named for him in 1958.

Shoup's papers were donated to the University of Idaho, having been gathered by his son William and presented by his grandson, G. Elmo Shoup.

References

  • National Governors Association
  • University of Idaho Library
  • Idaho State Historical Society, Reference Series #550 (1971)