governor lieutenant death_date death_place religion birth_place predecessor successor party office birth_date order term_start image article_title term_end name alma_mater
joseph a. wright abram a. hammond 4 october 1860 st. paul , minnesota methodist oneida county , new york . james h. lane joseph a. wright abram a. hammond abram a. hammond democrat indiana governor of indiana house of representatives 12th lieutenant governor of indiana october 31 , 1820 11th december 12 , 1857 5 , 1850 january 10 , 1853 january ashbelparsonswillardindiana.jpg ashbel p. willard
 december 4 , 1860 4 , 1852 january 12 , 1857 october ashbel parsons willard hamilton college
ashbel p. willard

ashbel parsons willard -lrb- october 31 , 1820 -- october 4 , 1860 -rrb- was state senator , the 12th lieutenant governor , and the 11th governor of the u.s. state of indiana .
his terms in office were marked by increasingly severe partisanship leading to the breakup of the state democratic party in the years leading up to the american civil war .
his brother-in-law was involved in john brown 's raid and was executed .
willard went to the south to advocate unsuccessfully for his release , and became despised by southerners who accused him of having a secret involvement in the raid .
he died two months before the start of the war while giving a speech on national unity , and was the first governor of indiana to die in office .
