# William Holcombe *United States Democratic politician and first lieutenant governor of Minnesota (1804–1870)* William Holcombe (July 22, 1804 – September 5, 1870) was a Democratic politician and the first [[Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota]]. He won the office on a statehood ticket with Henry Sibley.[^1] Holcombe was a native of Lambertville, New Jersey. He died in [[Stillwater, Minnesota]], while serving as the city's mayor.[^1] Before statehood, Holcombe sat for the St. Croix Valley in the 1846 Wisconsin Constitutional Convention. He was also secretary of the 1848 [[Stillwater Convention]], which petitioned Congress for a new [[Minnesota Territory]]. From 1849 to 1853 he was receiver of the U.S. land office at Stillwater.[^1] ## Biography Holcombe was born in New Jersey. He went to Utica, New York, in 1822 and trained there as a wheelwright. In Utica he married Martha Wilson, and the two later relocated to Ohio.[^1] By 1835 he was captain of the steamboat *Olive Branch*, which ran between St. Louis, Missouri, and Galena, Illinois. After Martha's death he settled first in Galena. In 1839 he moved to the St. Croix Valley and took work with the St. Croix Falls Lumber company.[^1] Holcombe relocated to Stillwater in the fall of 1846. That year he was elected to the Wisconsin Constitutional Convention for the St. Croix Valley and the land north of Crawford County. At the convention, his aim was "obtaining such a boundary as would place the St. Croix Valley without the limits of Wisconsin."[^1] In 1847 he testified as a witness at the murder trial of "No Tin," who was accused in the death of Henry Rust.[^1] Holcombe was secretary of the [[Stillwater Convention]] of 1848, which asked Congress to create a new Minnesota territory.[^1] In Stillwater he was among the founders of the First and Second Presbyterian Churches. He later headed both the Minnesota Bible Society and the State Sunday School Association. Between 1849 and 1853 he held the post of receiver at the U.S. land office in Stillwater.[^1] He took part in platting and building up the city's Holcombe neighborhood. He gave land of his own for Washington Square Park and built and sold several houses there.[^1] Once [[Minnesota]] achieved statehood, Holcombe stood for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Henry Sibley. The pair won, and Holcombe became the state's first lieutenant governor and a member of the first [[Minnesota Legislature]].[^1] His tenure did not end until a few weeks into the second legislative session.[^1] ## Legacy A street in Stillwater is named Holcombe Street.[^1] *Stillwater*, a Civil War-era novel by Nicole Helget, has a character modeled on Holcombe.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *William Holcombe* (revision 1365306780, retrieved 2026-10-25) — secondary biographical summary of Holcombe's birth, death, offices, civic roles and legacy; the only source in the evidence pack. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Holcombe