"Michigan Congressman" George Willard Hand Signed 2X3 Card For Sale
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"Michigan Congressman" George Willard Hand Signed 2X3 Card:
$299.99
Up for sale "Michigan Congressman" George Willard Hand Signed 2X3 Card.
ES-3744D
George Willard (March
20, 1824 – March 26, 1901) was a politician and newspaperman from the U.S. state of Michigan. He served two terms in the U.S. House of
Representatives and was also instrumental in opening the University of Michigan to
women. Willard was born in Bolton, Vermont, where he attended school and received
instruction from his father. He moved with his parents to Battle Creek, Michigan in
1836 and graduated from Kalamazoo College in 1844. He taught school,
studied theology, and was ordained a minister of the Episcopal Church in 1848. He served as rector of churches
in Coldwater, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo until 1863.
He was a professor of Latin in Kalamazoo College in 1863
and 1864 and engaged in newspaper work in Battle Creek. He served as member of
the Michigan State Board of
Education from 1857 to 1863 and member of the Board of
Regents of the University of Michigan from
1863-1872. While a regent, he was a strong proponent of the admission of women to the University of Michigan. He
introduced an unsuccessful motion to that effect in 1869, but was successful on
January 5, 1870, when the Board passed his resolution stating that "the
board of regents recognize the right of every resident of Michigan to the
enjoyment of the privileges afforded by the university, and that no rule exists
in any of the university statutes for the exclusion of any person from the
university who possesses the requisite literary and moral qualifications." Willard
was a member of the Michigan
State House of Representatives in 1866 and 1867. He was a
member of the State constitutional convention in 1867 and a delegate to
the Republican National
Convention in 1872. He was elected as congressional district to the 43rd and 44th United States
Congresses, serving from March 4, 1873 to March 3, 1877. He was not
a candidate for re-nomination in 1876. George Willard resumed newspaper work in
Battle Creek, serving as editor and owner of the Battle Creek
Journal until his death. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery.