1850 Iowa gubernatorial election
The 1850 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on August 5, 1850.[ 1]
Incumbent Democratic Governor Ansel Briggs declined to stand for re-election.[ 2] [ 3]
Democratic nominee Stephen P. Hempstead defeated Whig nominee James L. Thompson and Free Soil nominee William Penn Clark with 52.94% of the vote.
William Penn Clark, Free Soil, lawyer, former newspaper editor[ 4] [ 5] Stephen P. Hempstead, Democratic, former President of the Iowa Territory Legislative Council[ 6] James L. Thompson, Whig, Methodist preacher[ 7] [ 8] ^ Some sources give the result as Thompson's vote as 11,452.[ 16] [ 17] [ 18] The result given is taken from the Iowa Senate Journal. ^ "The Election" . The miners' express . Dubuque, Iowa. August 7, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ "Gov. Ansel Briggs" . National Governors Association . Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ "Ansel Briggs – The Stagecoach Driver Who Became Governor" . Our Iowa Heritage . Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ Aldrich, Charles, ed. (1903–1905). The Annals of Iowa. A Historical Quarterly . Vol. Six. Des Moines: Historical Department of Iowa. p. 77. ^ "William Penn Clarke – Iowa City's Abolitionist" . Our Iowa Heritage . Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ "Gov. Stephen Hempstead" . National Governors Association . Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ "Father Thompson" . Burlington hawk-eye . Burlington, Iowa. June 27, 1850. p. 4. Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ "Since "Father Thompson's" nomination" . Des Moines courier . Ottumwa, Iowa. July 26, 1850. p. 2. Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997 . Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. p. 51. ISBN 1-56802-396-0 . ^ Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County . Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 65–66. ISBN 978-0-7864-1439-0 . ^ Kallenbach, Joseph E.; Kallenbach, Jessamine S., eds. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976 . Vol. I. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc. p. 183. ISBN 0-379-00665-0 . ^ Journal of the Senate of the Third General Assembly of the State of Iowa . Iowa City: Palmer & Paul State Printers. 1850. p. 29. ^ Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa . Chicago: Acme Publishing Company. 1887. p. 116. ^ Gue, Benjamin F. (1903). History of Iowa from the earliest times to the beginning of the twentieth century . Vol. I. New York City: The Century History Company. p. 263. ^ Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa . Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co. 1890. p. 66. ^ "IA Governor, 1850" . Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 19, 2023 . ^ Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . Westport, CT: Meckler Books. pp. 92–93. ISBN 0-930466-17-9 . ^ Brewer, Guy S.; Jamieson, John M. (1907). The Iowa Official Register for the Years 1907-1908 (PDF) . Des Moines: Emory H. English, State Printer. p. 526.