Henry Markham
Henry Harrison Markham was a Republican United States Representative from California from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1887. Declining to run for re-election to Congress in 1886, he ran four years later to become the 18th governor of California, serving from January 8, 1891 until January 11, 1895.
Markham was born in Wilmington, New York. During the Civil War, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 32nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment; he was promoted to second lieutenant. Markham was part of General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea in 1864. He was wounded at the battle of Whippy Swamp in 1865, and discharged.
After the war Markham returned to Wisconsin and settled in Milwaukee, where he studied law and passed the bar in 1867. He practiced law in Milwaukee in the state and federal courts. Markham moved with his family to Pasadena in 1879 and continued to practice law. In Pasadena Markham was on the school board and was one of the founders of the Pasadena public library. He was also part of the Calico Union Mining Company. During his run for governor he was referred to as "the dashing colonel from Pasadena." He was a long time member of the Pasadena Republican Club. He died in his adopted hometown of Pasadena and is interred in Mountain View Cemetery in nearby Altadena.
