# Lucius Frederick Hubbard *Republican governor of Minnesota (1882–1887) and Union Army officer* Lucius Frederick Hubbard (January 26, 1836 – February 5, 1913) was a Republican politician and Union Army officer. He held office as the ninth [[Governor of Minnesota]] from January 10, 1882, until January 5, 1887.[^1] Before the governorship he was a newspaper publisher in Red Wing. He was also a Civil War colonel brevetted brigadier general, a miller, a grain merchant, a railroad operator, and a member of the Minnesota State Senate for two terms.[^1] During his two terms Hubbard pressed for state intervention across public health, corrections, charities, railroads, agriculture and commerce. The state [[Legislature]] responded by enlarging the state's regulatory and licensing authority.[^1] He backed an 1885 act for a state school for dependent and neglected children at Owatonna, and he issued 215 pardons over his two terms.[^1] Hubbard County, Minnesota, bears his name.[^1] ## Early life Hubbard was born in Troy, New York, in 1836, and was orphaned by the age of ten.[^1] He worked as a tinsmith, first in the eastern states and later in Chicago.[^1] At 21 he relocated to Red Wing, [[Minnesota]], bringing an old hand-operated printing press and some type. Within two months he was both publisher and editor of the *Red Wing Republican*, a paper he used to advance his political views.[^1] His local competitor was [[William J. Colvill]], who edited the *Red Wing Sentinel*, a paper that leaned toward the Democrats.[^1] ## Career Hubbard entered the Union Army in 1861 as a private in the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.[^1] His service included the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg and the battles of Nashville and Fort Blakeley. He advanced to colonel of the 5th Minnesota Regiment.[^1] On December 16, 1864, he received a brevet as brigadier general for his conduct at Nashville.[^1] After the war he returned to Red Wing, where he combined milling with railroad work and grew wealthy in the grain trade.[^1] In 1878 he purchased the failing Midland Railroad. The line was later bought from him, and the sale added to his fortune.[^1] As a partner in the Midland, he also directed the operations of the Cannon Valley Railway until he was elected governor in 1881.[^1] Hubbard was elected to the Minnesota State Senate and finished his second term there in 1875.[^1] He sought the Republican nomination for governor in 1879 and was defeated by the sitting governor, [[John S. Pillsbury]].[^1] He tried again in 1881. He placed first on the informal ballot and then won the first formal ballot by a larger margin, after which a motion was passed declaring him the unanimous winner of the Republican primary.[^1] He carried the general election that year with 61.59% of the vote, a result the source describes as a landslide.[^1] ## As governor In office, Hubbard argued for state action in public health, corrections, charities, railroads, agriculture and commerce. The legislature in turn widened the state's regulatory and licensing powers.[^1] In 1885 he backed legislation to construct the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children at Owatonna.[^1] His second term ran three years because a state constitutional amendment placed state, county and federal biennial elections on a common schedule.[^1] The governorship carried the pardon power. Hubbard issued 215 pardons over his two terms and received many petitions from prisoners seeking release.[^1] According to the Wikipedia account, he sometimes pardoned people convicted of mostly serious offenses, including violent ones, and on occasion looked into cases himself.[^1] ## Later life Hubbard belonged to the Military Order of Foreign Wars, the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and the Sons of the American Revolution.[^1] In 1887 he took over the operation of another railroad.[^1] After the United States declared war on Spain in 1898, President William McKinley appointed him, then 62, a brigadier general of volunteers and asked him to oversee a military post in Florida.[^1] About two years later he moved to St. Paul and afterward to [[Minneapolis]], where he died at age 77. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Red Wing.[^1] Hubbard County, Minnesota, is named for him.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Lucius Frederick Hubbard* (revision 1369475517, retrieved 2026-10-25), CC BY-SA 4.0. Establishes Hubbard's birth and death dates, Civil War service, business and legislative career, nominations and election, governorship, pardons and later life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Frederick_Hubbard