The Biographical Dictionary of America/Axtell, Samuel Beach

AXTELL, Samuel Beach, governor of Utah, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1809. His father was born in New Jersey, but removed to Ohio, and was one of the earliest settlers in Franklin county. He was a farmer and had twelve children. His grandfather (Axtell) was a colonel of a New Jersey regiment in the war of 1812, and his great-grandfather (Axtell) was a major in the revolutionary army. The family trace their lineage to Daniel Axtell, the regicide, who was beheaded under Charles II. of England. Samuel studied at Oberlin, supporting himself by manual labor. He was graduated at the Western Reserve college, and admitted to the bar in Ohio. In the gold excitement of 1848 he sought his fortune in California, and engaged in practical mining. As soon as counties were organized he was elected district-attorney of Amador county, and was twice re-elected. He removed to San Francisco in 1860, and was elected to represent his district in the 40th Congress in 1866 as a Democrat, and re-elected to the 41st Congress. He was an admirer of General Grant, united with the Republican party, and in 1874 was appointed governor of Utah, and in the next year was transferred to New Mexico, becoming governor in 1875. In 1876 he was one of the judges at the centennial exposition at Philadelphia; in 1878 was superseded as governor by Gen. Lew Wallace; and in 1882 he was appointed chief-justice of New Mexico, assuming the office in August of that year, and served till May, 1885. In 1890 he was elected chairman of the Republican territorial committee. He died in Morristown. N.J., Aug. 7, 1891.