David Safford Walbridge (July 30, 1802 – June 15, 1868) was a politician from the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. Walbridge was born in

Bennington, Vermont Bennington is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester (town), Vermont, Manchester. As of the 2020 United States Census, US Cens ...

, where he attended the common schools. He moved to New York in 1820 and engaged in mercantile and agricultural pursuits at Geneseo from 1820 to 1826 and at Jamestown from 1826 to 1842. Then he moved to

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, in 1842 and again engaged in mercantile pursuits as well as becoming a large landowner and stock raiser. Walbridge was a member of the

Michigan State House of Representatives Michigan ( ) is a peninsular state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, Indiana and Illinois to the southwest, Ohio ...

in 1848 and served from 1849 to 1850 in the

Michigan 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 Michigan Constitution, ado ...

. He served as permanent chairman of the first Republican State convention held July 6, 1854, at

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 31,309 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along Interstate 94 in Michigan, Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127 in Michigan, U.S ...

. In 1854, he defeated incumbent

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Samuel Clark to be elected as a Republican from

Michigan's 3rd congressional district Michigan's 3rd congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, U.S. congressional district in West Michigan. From 2003 to 2013, it consisted of the counties of Barry County, Michigan, Barry and Ionia County, Michigan, ...

to the

34th United States Congress The 34th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1855 ...

. He was re-elected to the

35th Congress The 35th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1857, ...

, serving from March 4, 1855, to March 3, 1859. On August 27, 1856,

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

visited Kalamazoo to take part in a campaign rally for

John C. Fremont John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

. Congress was in session, so Walbridge was in Washington, D.C. In his absence, his wife Eliza Taggart Walbridge, acted as a hostess, providing tea for Lincoln and

Zachariah Chandler Zachariah Chandler (December 10, 1813 – November 1, 1879) was an American businessman, politician, and one of the founders of the Republican Party, whose radical wing he dominated as a lifelong abolitionist. He was mayor of Detroit, a four-ter ...

. This was recalled by Lincoln in a letter he wrote to Chandler four years later. David S. Walbridge later resumed his former pursuits and was also appointed by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. The 16th vice president, he assumed the presidency following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a South ...

to serve as postmaster of

. He died there and was interred in Mountain Home Cemetery.

References

David S. Walbridge
at The Political Graveyard {{DEFAULTSORT:Walbridge, David Safford 1802 births 1868 deaths Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives Michigan postmasters Republican Party Michigan state senators Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan 19th-century members of the Michigan Legislature 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives