William W. Braden
William W. Braden | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 4th Auditor of Minnesota | |
| In office January 10, 1882 – January 1891 | |
| Governor | Lucius Frederick Hubbard Andrew Ryan McGill William Rush Merriam |
| Preceded by | Orlan P. Whitcomb |
| Succeeded by | Adolph Biermann |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 14th district | |
| In office January 8, 1867 – January 4, 1869 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1837 Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | 1897 (aged 59–60) California, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Residence(s) | Lenora, Minnesota, U.S. Preston, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Occupation | Politician, farmer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States (Union) |
| Branch/service | United States Army (Union army) |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 6th Minnesota Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War American Indian Wars |
William W. "W.W." Braden (1837–1897) was an American politician and farmer who served as the fourth state auditor of Minnesota from 1882 to 1891 as a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1867 to 1869, representing the 14th electoral district in the 9th and 10th legislatures. Braden was also an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Minnesota in 1890.
Early life
Braden was born in Ohio in 1837. He came to Minnesota in 1854.[1]
Career
Braden served as a captain in the 6th Minnesota Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars.[1][2]
Braden served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1867 to 1869, representing the 14th electoral district as a Republican in the 9th and 10th legislatures.[2]
During his time in the Minnesota Legislature, Braden served on the following committees:
- Enrollment (1867–1868)
- Military Affairs (1867–1868)
- Railroads (1867–1868)
- Charitable Institutions (1868)
Braden chaired the Enrollment and Charitable Institutions committees.[2]
Braden's tenure in the Minnesota Legislature began on January 8, 1867, and concluded on January 4, 1869. His district included representation for Fillmore County.[2] Braden also served three terms as treasurer of Fillmore County.[3]
Braden served two terms as the fourth state auditor of Minnesota, holding office from January 10, 1882, to January 1891.[2]
- In the 1881 Minnesota State Auditor election, Braden defeated Democratic Party nominee Rudolph Lehmicke, Greenback Party nominee Ebenezer Ayres, and Prohibition Party nominee G.A. Armstrong with more than 62% of the vote.[3]
- In the 1886 Minnesota State Auditor election, Braden defeated Democratic nominee Gustave (G.A.) Lundberg and Prohibition nominee Hiram W. (H.W.) Allen with more than 54% of the vote, making him the first Minnesota state auditor to be elected to a four-year term.[4]
Braden was preceded in office by Republican Orlan P. Whitcomb and succeeded by Democrat Adolph Biermann.
Braden was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Minnesota in 1890, being defeated by incumbent William Rush Merriam in the Republican primary election.
Outside of politics, Braden was a farmer.[2]
Personal life and death
Braden resided in Lenora during his tenure in the Minnesota Legislature,[2] though he was a resident of Preston at the time of the 1881 state auditor election.[3] He died in California in 1897.[1][2]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William W. (W.W.) Braden | 65,964 | 62.31 | ||
| Democratic | Rudolph Lehmicke | 36,501 | 34.48 | ||
| Greenback | Ebenezer Ayres | 2,547 | 2.41 | ||
| Prohibition | G.A. Armstrong | 769 | 0.73 | ||
| Write-in | 77 | 0.07 | |||
| Total votes | 105,858 | 100.00 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William W. (W.W.) Braden (incumbent) | 113,796 | 54.78 | ||
| Democratic | Gustave (G.A.) Lundberg | 84,919 | 40.88 | ||
| Prohibition | Hiram W. (H.W.) Allen | 8,890 | 4.28 | ||
| Write-in | 137 | 0.07 | |||
| Total votes | 207,742 | 100.00 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
- ^ a b c Hubbard, Lucius Frederick; Murray, William Pitt; Baker, James Heaton (1908). Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1655–1908: Description and Explorations. Publishing Society of Minnesota. p. 438. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Braden, William W. "W.W."". Minnesota Legislature. Archived from the original on August 31, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Auditor, 1881 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ a b "Auditor, 1886 Election". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
