   edwin baruch winans (may 16, 1826 â july 4, 1894) was a u.s. representative from and the 22nd governor of the us state of michigan. ==early life in new york and michigan== winans was born in avon, new york and moved with his parents, john and eliza (nÃ©e way), to michigan in 1834. the family first moved to scio township in washtenaw county and in spring 1836 moved to unadilla township in livingston county. his father died in the fall of 1843, and winans moved with his mother to hamburg township, also in livingston county. his mother died in july, 1852 and winans worked for four years in a wool carding mill. at the age of twenty, he attended albion college, albion, michigan, for two and a half years in preparation for entering the law school of the university of michigan at ann arbor. ==california gold rush== before completing his studies, winans was drawn by news of the california gold rush, and in march 1850 left for california by an overland route to seek his fortune. arriving july 20, he engaged in mining first on the north branch of the american river near placerville. he continued the same work with some varied success in different parts of the state. in 1853, he was one of the members of the celebrated randolph hill mining company in the town of rough and ready (now a town west of grass valley in nevada county). in 1855, he returned to michigan to marry elizabeth galloway and then returned to california, where he continued with the company until its dissolution in 1857. he was a principal stockholder in the rough and ready ditch company and also enagaged in banking in rough and ready. ==politics in michigan== he returned to michigan in 1858 and purchased a 400 acre (1.6&nbsp;kmÂ²) farm in hamburg township, michigan, where he and his wife would have two sons, edwin, jr. and george. he was twice elected a member of the michigan state house of representatives 1861â1
1826_births 1894_deaths 19th-century_American_Episcopalians Albion_College_alumni Democratic_Party_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Democratic_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States Governors_of_Michigan Members_of_the_Michigan_House_of_Representatives Members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_from_Michigan Michigan_Democrats University_of_Michigan_Law_School_alumni University_of_Michigan_alumni