# Henry Adoniram Swift *Third governor of Minnesota (1863–1864); Republican* Henry Adoniram Swift (March 23, 1823 – February 25, 1869) was the third [[Governor of Minnesota]]. He was a member of the Republican Party and took office when [[Alexander Ramsey]] resigned.[^1] He held the office for 188 days. No later Minnesota governor served a shorter term until [[Hjalmar Petersen]] in 1937.[^1] Swift became governor by succession, not by election to that office. He was the third [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota]] when Ramsey resigned to enter the United States Congress. Ramsey had been elected to the United States Senate.[^2] Swift held the governorship from July 10, 1863 to January 11, 1864. In that time he served out the remainder of Ramsey's second term, until [[Stephen Miller (Minnesota politician)]] was inaugurated.[^2] Wikipedia's account says his time in office was too short for major change. It says he focused on the welfare of Civil War veterans. The same account reports that his peers described him as gentle, self-effacing, and ambivalent toward politics.[^2] ## Career Swift was a native of Ohio. He graduated with honors from Western Reserve College there.[^2] He then worked in Mississippi as a tutor to the children of a slave owner. According to Wikipedia's account, that period strengthened his abolitionist convictions.[^2] He went back to Ohio and took a law degree. He then worked in business and in government service.[^2] In 1853 Swift brought his family to [[Minnesota]]. They lived first in St. Paul and later in St. Peter.[^2] He and his partners in the St. Peter Land Company tried to have the state capital moved to St. Peter, a growing town on the [[Minnesota River]]. The effort failed.[^2] In 1861 he left his commercial interests to serve in the state senate. From that seat he advanced to the lieutenant governorship.[^2] As governor, Swift directed the recruitment of fresh troops for the Civil War.[^2] He first planned to seek a full term as governor. He then withdrew from that race and ran for the State Senate instead.[^2] After his governorship he served two further terms in the state senate. He won one of those elections by six votes.[^2] In 1865 he was a reluctant candidate for the United States Senate. Wikipedia quotes him as writing, "I shall be ten times happier with my family in St. Peter", but its text of the remark is cut off.[^2] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Henry Adoniram Swift, Republican, third governor of Minnesota, previously third lieutenant governor.[^1][^2] ### When - Born March 23, 1823; died February 25, 1869.[^1] - 1853: moved with his family to Minnesota.[^2] - 1861: left business for a state senate seat.[^2] - July 10, 1863 to January 11, 1864: governor, a tenure of 188 days.[^1][^2] - 1865: candidate for the United States Senate.[^2] ### Where - Lived in St. Paul, then St. Peter.[^2] - His biographical information and gubernatorial records are held for research use at the [[Minnesota Historical Society]].[^3] ### What - Directed the recruitment of new Civil War troops while governor.[^2] ### How - Succeeded to the governorship from the lieutenant governorship after Ramsey resigned. He was not elected governor.[^2] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry Adoniram Swift* (revision 1377807913, retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section. Supports his birth and death dates, his place as third governor after Ramsey's resignation, the 188-day tenure, the record broken by Hjalmar Petersen in 1937, and his Republican affiliation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Adoniram_Swift [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry Adoniram Swift* (revision 1377807913, retrieved 2026-10-25), "Career" section. Supports his education, the Mississippi tutoring, the 1853 move, the St. Peter Land Company, the 1861 state senate seat, his service as lieutenant governor, the governorship dates, troop recruitment, his withdrawal from the governor's race, his later senate terms, and his 1865 U.S. Senate candidacy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Adoniram_Swift [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry Adoniram Swift* (revision 1377807913, retrieved 2026-10-25), "External Links" section. Supports the statement that the Minnesota Historical Society holds his biographical information and gubernatorial records. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Adoniram_Swift