Sidney Edgerton Sidney Edgerton ( August 17 , 1818 – July 19 , 1900 ) was a politician , lawyer , judge and teacher from Ohio . He served during the American Civil War , as a Squirrel Hunter . During this time , Edgerton served as a U . S . Congressman . In 1863 , Abraham Lincoln appointed him the first Chief justice of the Idaho Territorial Court . Edgerton lobbied for the creation of separate territories , out of the Idaho Territory , and in 1864 , Abraham Lincoln appointed Edgerton as the first Territorial Governor of Montana . During his term as Territorial Governor , he was an alleged member of the infamous Montana Vigilantes , and was reputedly among its founders . He was a sickly child that was not expected to survive ; burial clothing was ordered for him . He survived and , eventually , moved to Ohio . He became a lawyer , and was involved in both the Free Soil Party and the Republican Party . After John Brown ' s raid on Harpers Ferry , Edgerton was invited , by Brown ' s family , to settle Brown ' s affairs . He never was able to meet with Brown . He had a successful career as a politician , and after his term ended in the Territory of Montana , Edgerton returned to Ohio . He served as a lawyer in his home state until his death in 1900 . Early life . Edgerton was born in Cazenovia , New York , in 1818 . His parents were Amos and Zerviah ( Graham ) Edgerton . He was a cousin of millionaire , Anson Greene Phelps . As a child , Edgerton was so sickly and frail that burial clothes were prepared for him . He eventually grew to be a very healthy young man , but his father died when Edgerton was six months old . He attended country schools during his childhood . He later attended the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima , New York . He would later become an instructor there . Early career . In 1844 , he moved to Ohio and began working in the law office of Congressman Rufus P . Spalding . Edgerton also taught in an academy in Tallmadge , Ohio , the same year . He studied law and graduated from the Cincinnati Law School , in 1845 . In 1846 , Edgerton was admitted to the bar . He then began commencing practice , in Akron , Ohio . During this time , Edgerton declared himself an Agnostic . He married Mary Wright ( 1827 – 1885 ) on May 18 , 1848 , but Mary almost ended the relationship , because of Edgerton ' s religious views . Political career . Edgerton was a delegate to the convention that formed the Free Soil Party , in 1848 . He then served as prosecuting attorney of Summit County , Ohio , from 1852 to 1856 . Later in 1856 , Edgerton was a delegate to the first Republican National Convention . That same year , he was nominated for probate judge , but he declined the nomination . Edgerton was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1858 . House of Representatives and John Brown . Edgerton began his House term in 1859 . As an abolitionist , he was at risk of attack ; when his term began , he purchased a sword for his defense . The sword was held , secretly , inside a walking cane . As an ardent anti - slavery member of the House of Representatives , Edgerton made numerous speeches about its abolition . After John Brown ' s raid on Harpers Ferry , Edgerton was asked by Brown ' s family to come and settle his affairs . This was very dangerous , as Edgerton was anti - slavery . Edgerton went by train , and was joined by Congressman Alexander Boteler and Congressman H . G . Blake . While on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad , Boteler was told that the men did not need to go on . Boteler and Blake listened to the advice , but Edgerton refused to go back . On his arrival at Charles Town , Edgerton found the commander of Harper ' s Ferry , General William Taliaferro . Edgerton told Taliaferro about his request , but Taliaferro informed him that Governor Wise would only allow family and a minister to visit John Brown . That night , Taliaferro arranged for a wagon to take him back to Washington D . C . Edgerton was given a driver and a guard , for his journey . During his ride back , a group of men on horses rode up , and Edgerton ' s guard jumped out of the wagon and ran . The men on horses retrieved the man , and brought him back to the wagon . Edgerton asked his guard why he ran , and the guard replied , " I heard them say that they would kill [ you ] " . The men on horses then attempted to get Edgerton to leave the wagon , but he refused . He eventually made it out of Virginia , but always believed had he left the wagon , the men would have killed him . After this encounter , Edgerton viewed Southerners , generally , with contempt . Edgerton continued to be a large voice in the anti - slavery movement , but decided not to run for reelection in 1862 . American Civil War . During the Civil War , Edgerton served in the Union Army as colonel . Edgerton was one of the " Squirrel Hunters " , expert shots from Ohio , and served at the Defense of Cincinnati . Edgerton served as both a U . S . Congressman and soldier at the same time , during the first few years of the war . Territory of Idaho . In 1863 , Edgerton was appointed , by President Abraham Lincoln , to be the Chief Justice of the Territory of Idaho . His salary was to be $ 2 , 500 a year ( about $ 34 , 000 in 2009 ) . He left with his wife , his children , his niece , Lucia Darling , his nephew , Wilbur F . Sanders , Sanders ' wife , Sanders ' children , a family friend , Henry Tilden , and a young woman named Almarette Greer . Edgerton ' s group first travelled to Cleveland , Ohio , by train , they then traveled , by boat , across Lake Erie , continuing , by train , to St . Joseph , Missouri , they then travelled , by steamboat , to Omaha , Nebraska . They then bought their provisions , and began their trip on ox - drawn wagons . The party was met by good weather , and no bad confrontations with Native Americans . The group stopped at Chimney Rock , to visit . They then started off again , on their trip . One incident that did happen was when Edgerton fell from one of the wagons , and was almost crushed by one of the wheels . The group arrived at South Pass , in August 1863 . After arriving in South Pass City , Edgerton received a telegraph message saying that the capital of the Territory of Idaho had yet to be decided . On August 15 , as the group was heading west , a man arrived with a telegraph message saying that the capital of the Territory of Idaho was to be at Lewiston . The message was welcome news to the group , but knew that to get to Lewiston , before the snows , would be difficult . As the group descended the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains , it was discovered that Mary Edgerton was pregnant . In September , the group arrived at the trail , beginning at the Blackfoot River . Edgerton realized , that it would not be possible to make it to Lewiston , before the snows . The group then changed its course for Bannack . The party crossed the Snake River , by ferry , on September 6 . After crossing , they met Sheriff Henry Plummer . This would not be the last meeting between Edgerton and Plummer . The group continued , and crossed Monida Pass . The group finally made it to Bannack , on September 16 . After arriving in Bannack , Idaho Territory , Edgerton reported to Territorial Governor William Wallace . Edgerton requested the designation of courts and districts , but no court was designated for his district . Wallace appointed Edgerton to one of the farthest and most remote places away from the capitol . When he arrived there was no administrator to administer the oath of office . He never took the oath of office and therefore he never legally took his position as Chief Justice . The Edgerton ' s then bought a home at a Sheriff ' s sale for $ 400 . The one room home became the first Montana Governor ' s Residence . After arriving in his district , he began taking tours of the territory gold fields and gold camps . Edgerton realized the value of the gold fields , to the Union . He was then chosen , by the local population , to go to Washington D . C . . His mission was to lobby for the split of the Territory of Idaho . Edgerton and Sanders then left in a stagecoach for Washington . Edgerton arrived with $ 2 , 500 in gold nugget s in his pockets ( about $ 34 , 000 in 2009 ) . He presented this to President Abraham Lincoln and numerous members of Congress . His lobbying paid off in 1864 . That year the Territory of Idaho split into three parts . The three parts included the Territory of Idaho , the Territory of Montana , and the Territory of Dakota . Territory of Montana . Before leaving Washington D . C . for the Territory of Idaho , Edgerton had a private meeting with President Abraham Lincoln , in which he asked for the position of Territorial Governor of Montana . Lincoln told Edgerton that he would think about it . Edgerton then left for the west , unsure of whether or not he would have a new position when he arrived , but on May 23 , 1864 , while on his way home , Mary Edgerton had a baby girl . She named her Idaho , unknowing of the fact that it was now the Territory of Montana . After seeing his skills in the Territory of Idaho , President Abraham Lincoln appointed Edgerton as the first Territorial Governor of Montana . Lincoln appointed Edgerton on June 22 , 1864 , and Edgerton found out on his arrival at Bannack . Bannack was created the capital of the Territory of Montana , and the Edgertons were able to keep their same home . Edgerton was disliked by the people of the Territory of Montana , as they felt little loyalty to the United States . There were death threats for those who flew an American Flag . Edgerton put together a quick census , so that an election could be held . The elections would be for the State Council , State House , and for the Delegate of the Territory of Montana to the House of Representatives . After the elections of 1865 , Democrats took power in the House , and took the Delegate seat in the House of Representatives . While the Republicans took the Council . Numerous engagements between the Governor and Democrats occurred , causing troubles for the Montana Legislature . In all , though , the legislature worked with Edgerton to pass numerous bills on roads , public education , irrigation , and mining . In 1865 , Edgerton began to have to deal with threats from Native Americans . General Patrick Connor was sent to handle these threats . He led an expedition against the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians , who were disrupting travelers along the Bozeman Trail . Edgerton then issued a proclamation for five hundred volunteers to help defend immigrants . Numerous other battles were fought , and numerous treaties were signed between the Government of the Territory of Montana and the Native Americans . In 1865 , Edgerton was forced to go East to get funds for the territory . The revenues being received were not enough to pay for expenses , and Edgerton himself gave large sums of his own money to the territory . He hoped to both get funds for the state , and receive compensation for his expenditures . He would receive neither . Edgerton left the Territory , in September 1865 . During this time , Edgerton was in the Washington D . C . While he was away , Thomas Francis Meagher served as the acting Territorial Governor of Montana . Despite remaining governor , until January 13 , 1866 , Edgerton did not return to Montana for 25 years . To express their dislike for Edgerton , the state legislature changed the name of Edgerton County to Lewis and Clark County . Montana Vigilantes . After numerous acts of lawlessness , and with no help from the non - existent court system , Governor Edgerton and his nephew , Wilbur F . Sanders , began the Montana Vigilantes . This group began meeting in secret , and began trying and lynching suspected criminals . On January 10 , 1864 , Edgerton and the Montana Vigilantes traveled to Sheriff Henry Plummer ' s home . Plummer was suspected of murder , and the men coaxed him from his sickbed . They then grabbed him , and brought him to a pine tree . Then the men put a noose over his neck , and slowly raised him to his death . Along with the lynching of Plummer , the Montana Vigilantes hung 22 road agents . After these actions Edgerton ' s nephew , Wilbur F . Sanders , was forced to defend the group in Utah courts . Death . After serving as the Territorial Governor of Montana , in 1866 , Edgerton returned to Akron , Ohio . His family returned to Ohio , as well . It was here that he began practicing law . He was involved in his law practice until his death on July 19 , 1900 . He is buried in Tallmadge Cemetery , Tallmadge , Ohio .