Albert Edson Sleeper (December 31, 1862 – May 13, 1934) was an American politician who served as the 29th

governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...

from 1917 to 1921.

Biography

Sleeper was born on December 31, 1862, in

Bradford, Vermont Bradford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2020 census. Bradford is located on the county's eastern border, bordering both the Connecticut River and New Hampshire, and is a commercial center fo ...

and was educated at the Bradford Academy. In 1884, he moved to

Lexington, Michigan Lexington is a village in Sanilac County, Michigan, Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,178 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. The village is located within Lexington Township, Michigan, Lexington Townsh ...

, where he was a successful businessman owning several banks and extensive real estate. Sleeper also worked in mercantile industries. In 1901, he married Mary C. Moore. Sleeper served in the

Michigan State Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Constitution of Michigan, Mi ...

, 1901–1904. The following year, he became a member of the Republican State Committee until 1907. Then he served as State Treasurer of Michigan from 1909 to 1913 under Governors, Fred M. Warner and Chase Osborn. Albert E

Sleeper was elected

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...

by a popular vote on November 7, 1916, defeating Democrat Edwin F. Sweet. He was re-elected to a second term in 1918. He served during most of World War I and started measures to supply men, provisions, and arms for the war effort. Also during his four years in office, a department of animal husbandry, a department of labor, and a public utilities commission were established. A county road system was advanced, a permanent state police department was founded, and the first

driver's license A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, ca ...

was issued. Sleeper signed the State Parks Act creating the State Park system and an epidemic of the Spanish influenza was dealt with. On April 19, 1917, Governor Sleeper created the Michigan State Troops Permanent Force (

Michigan State Police The Michigan State Police (MSP) is the State police (United States), state police agency for the U.S. state of Michigan. The MSP is a full-service law enforcement agency, with its sworn members having full police powers statewide. The department ...

). In 1928, Sleeper served as a presidential elector for Michigan to elect

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium and ...

as U.S. president. He died on May 13, 1934, in

, at the age of seventy-one and is interred at Lexington Municipal Cemetery.

Legacy

In 1944, Huron State Park in

Caseville, Michigan Caseville is a city in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located at the mouth of the Pigeon River on Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. The population was 652 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by Caseville Township. A popular des ...

, was renamed Albert E. Sleeper State Park.The public library in

Ubly, Michigan Ubly is a village in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 858 at the 2010 census. The village is within Bingham Township. On February 25, 2004, a wolverine was spotted near Ubly, the first one sighted in Michigan in ...

, is also named after Sleeper.

References

Sources

Biography at National Governors Association

Biography

Legacy

References

Sources

Further reading