Conservative and cautious Robert McClelland was elected the ninth
Governor of the State of Michigan on the Democratic ticket.
Born in Greencastle, Pennsylvania in 1807 McClelland was the son
of a prominent physician. After graduating from Dickinson college
in 1829 he moved to Monroe, Michigan to practice law. He married
Sarah E. Sabine in 1837 and they had six children.
He was a delegate to the 1835 and the 1850 Michigan Constitutional
Conventions. He served as a member of the University of Michigan
Board of Regents. In 1839 he was elected to the Michigan House of
Representatives and was elected Speaker of the House in 1843. McClelland
was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1843 and served
from 1844 to 1845. He was again elected in 1845 and served until
1849.
In 1851, McClelland defeated the Whig party candidate Thownsend
Gridley to win the one year term as Michigan Governor. He was reelected
in 1852 for a two year term over Zachariah Chandler, the former
mayor of Detroit.
On March 4, 1853 McClelland resigned as Governor to accept the appointment
as Secretary of Interior in the Cabinet of President of Franklin
Pierce. He served as Secretary of the Interior for four years. During
his term he brought about many changes and improvements in the federal
government administrative system.
McClelland returned to Michigan in 1857, and resumed his law practice
in Detroit. During his public life and in his political career McClelland
was ever cautious and conservative. On the eve of the Civil War
he advocated moderation and compromise.
McClelland died in 1880.
Born: August
1, 1807
Died: August 30, 1880
Buried: Section A2, Lot 49
