Thomas White Ferry | |
|---|---|
 Ferry, 1865–1880 | |
| President pro tempore of the United States Senate | |
| In office March 9, 1875 – March 17, 1879 | |
| Preceded by | Henry B. Anthony |
| Succeeded by | Allen G. Thurman |
| United States Senator fromMichigan | |
| In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | Jacob M. Howard |
| Succeeded by | Thomas W. Palmer |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | Francis William Kellogg |
| Succeeded by | Wilder D. Foster |
| Member of theMichigan Senate | |
| In office 1856 | |
| Member of theMichigan House of Representatives | |
| In office 1850–1852 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1827-06-10)June 10, 1827 |
| Died | October 13, 1896(1896-10-13) (aged 69) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Politician,Merchant |
| Signature |  |
Thomas White Ferry (June 10, 1827 – October 13, 1896), orT. W. Ferry, representedMichigan in theUnited States House of Representatives and then in theUnited States Senate. Ferry served aspresident pro tempore of the Senate during the44th and45th Congresses,[1] notably being ranked during the vice presidential vacancy between November 22, 1875 and March 4, 1877 as "Acting Vice President".[2][3][4]
Ferry was born in the oldMission House onMackinac Island in theTerritory of Michigan.[5] The community on Mackinac at that time included the military garrison, the main depot ofJohn Jacob Astor'sAmerican Fur Company, and the mission. His father, Rev.William Montague Ferry, was a Presbyterian pastor, and his mother was Amanda White Ferry. His parents ran the mission school on the island.
William Ferry also was the pastor of the Protestant church on the island. Thomas moved in 1834 with his parents toGrand Haven, Michigan, attended the public schools.[5] He worked as a store clerk inElgin, Illinois, for two years from 1843 to 1845 before returning to Michigan. At the age of 21 he was elected clerk ofOttawa County.[6]
In addition to English, Ferry was fluent inOttawa,Chippewa, andFrench.[7]
Ferry was a member of theMichigan State House of Representatives from 1850 to 1852 and a member of theMichigan State Senate in 1856. On January 26, 1857, Ferry, along with his father, platted the village ofFerrysburg, Michigan.
In 1862 Ferry became a director of the new Grand Haven Union High School and was superintendent for ten years. He went into the lumbering business with his brother,Edward Payson Ferry. Before the Civil War he served on the Republican State Central Committee for eight years and was delegate-at-large and one of the vice presidents of the national convention that nominatedAbraham Lincoln. Upon President Abraham Lincoln's death, he was appointed by the U.S. Senate to a committee that accompanied Lincoln's body to Springfield.[6]
He was a delegate to theLoyalist Convention atPhiladelphia in 1866. He was elected as aRepublican to theUnited States House of Representatives for the39th,40th, and41st Congresses, serving from March 4, 1865 to March 3, 1871. He was re-elected to the U.S. House for the42nd Congress in the general election of November 8, 1870. The Michigan Legislature subsequently elected him to theU.S. Senate on January 18, 1871, andWilder D. Foster was elected in a special election on April 4, 1871, to fill his vacancy in the House.
On April 2, 1868, hetestified inthe impeachment trial of PresidentAndrew Johnson, having been called as awitness by the prosecution.[8]
One of Ferry's lasting legacies in the house is the clearing of the floor prior to the start of a session. On March 31, 1869, Ferry moved that the House adopt a rule which required theHouse Doorkeeper to clear the floor of visitors and non-privileged employees ten minutes before the start of a session. The rule was later changed to fifteen minutes.[9]
Ferry was re-elected to the Senate in 1871, and served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1883. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1882. Ferry was the first person from Michigan to have served in both houses of theMichigan State Legislature and in both houses of theUnited States Congress.
During the "Panic of 1873", economic deflation caused serious problems and Ferry became a face of the Republican inflationist movement.[citation needed] Congress hoped inflation would stimulate the economy and passed the Ferry Bill (introduced by Senator Ferry), which became known as the "Inflation Bill" in 1874. Many farmers and workingmen favored the bill, which would have added $64 million in greenbacks to circulation, but some Eastern bankers opposed it because it would have weakened the dollar.[10] The bill passed the Senate and House of Representatives, but was vetoed byPresident Grant. An override attempt failed 34–30 in the Senate. This is one of the few bills vetoed by a member of the same party as a bills sponsor.[11][12]
While senator, Ferry was chairman of theCommittee on Rules and theCommittee on Post Office and Post Roads (46th and 47th Congresses), as well asPresident pro tempore of the Senate during the 44th and 45th Congresses.
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On November 22, 1875, Vice PresidentHenry Wilson died. Ferry, being president pro tempore of the Senate, became first in theline of presidential succession,[13] and remained so until March 3, 1877. During this time he was regarded as the acting vice president of the United States[14][15][16] The title of "acting vice president" is not defined in the Constitution, but was widely used at the time (including by Ferry himself).[17][3][4]
Ferry presided over the 1876impeachment trial ofWilliam W. Belknap, theU.S. secretary of war, and the meetings of theElectoral Commission created by Congress to resolve the disputed1876 presidential election.[5] Still president pro tempore at that time, he would have temporally become theacting president had theElectoral College vote not been certified by March 4, 1877. Congress certifiedRutherford B. Hayes as the winner of the Electoral College vote on March 2.[18]
On July 4, 1876, the United States celebrated the 100th anniversary of theDeclaration of Independence with a ceremony in Philadelphia atIndependence Hall. President Grant was supposed to attend and lead the ceremony, but instead sent Ferry (as acting vice president) in his place. While Ferry was officiating, five women, headed bySusan B. Anthony, walked onto the platform and handed their "Declaration of Rights" to Ferry. As they were being taken off the stage, they threw out copies to the crowd. Anthony also read the Declaration to a large crowd and invited everyone to aNational Woman Suffrage Association convention nearby.[19][20]
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Ferry's 1882 election saw national attention. Political opponentJay Hubbell, created the "Grand Army Journal" newspaper. This libelous publication was almost universally denounced.[21] Its sole purpose was to defame Senator Ferry. Hubbell sought to take his place in the Senate by throwing slanderous headlines in his "Journal" which he mailed out by the thousands.[22]
Word of this fake publication took its toll on both men. Thousands ofMichiganders had read this publication and, though untrue, it had tarnished Ferry's image. Hubbell was despised by many Michiganders for fabricating lies about Michigan's most powerful politician. Hubbell withdrew from the election.[23]
Hubbell was not the only one waging war with Ferry. The Grand Rapids Times published a story labeling Ferry as unfit for office. They accused Ferry of drunkenly insulting patrons of a Washington DC Hotel. There were no first hand accounts that this took place. The Hotel proprietor, staff, and many colleagues on both sides of the aisle disputed the story and claimed Ferry did not drink and had been the perfect guest for the 12 years he had spent there.[24]
It was said in the Chicago Inter-Ocean newspaper that, "A more malignant and unscrupulous campaign has never been conducted against any man, and whether Ferry wins or losses, the effect of this contest will be felt in Michigan for some time to come."[24] The story continues to say, "If Michigan withdraws him and sends a new man, the State will thus surrender its standing on committees in Congress, much of its relative influence there; and what Michigan thus loses other States will gain."
After these personal attacks, Ferry could see his political life coming to an end. He withdrew from the election and advocated for the nomination of close friendThomas Palmer. Palmer went on to replace Ferry in the Senate, much to the dismay of Ferry's political rivals.[25]
Following his political defeat, Ferry travelled in Europe for three years to recover his mental and physical health. When he returned to Grand Haven in 1886 he worked to manage his businesses and repay his debts.[26]
Ferry had interests in mining, lumber, and iron businesses. Towards the late 1800s the west Michigan lumber Industry had dried up. This along with political foes targeting his Ottawa Iron Works business caused Ferry's companies to declare bankruptcy. Along with liquidating business assets, Ferry spent over $1,250,000 ($43,000,000 in 2025 dollars) to pay his personal debts.[27]
Ferry never married, but was engaged on multiple occasions.[28] Ferry was considered to be one of Washington's most eligible bachelors. He was described as being wealthy, charismatic, handsome, and powerful.[29] One Philadelphia newspaper called him the "lady-killer" of his day who "never fails to gather a harvest of hearts during their proper season."[30]
Once an immensely wealthy man, Ferry fell into financial disaster following his political defeat. He spent his final years hidden from the national spotlight.[31][32] Ferry died inGrand Haven, Michigan, at age 69.[3] He is interred in Grand Haven's Lake Forest Cemetery in the Ferry family plot.[33] His epitaph reads,
"I have done what I could to extend our commerce over the world for the security of life and property along our seacoast, upon our great inland seas. T.W.F. The Sailors' and Soldiers' Friend. For 62 years a citizen of Grand Haven, Mich."[6]
The New York Herald of November 23, 1875, noted that as President pro tempore, Senator Thomas W. Ferry* of Michigan "would act as President in case the present incumbent of the office should die before the expiration of his term . . . . " In an editorial on the following day, the New York Herald viewed Ferry's possible succession as cause for alarm: "According to his record he [Ferry] is a fanatical inflationist. ... If President Grant should suddenly be taken away Thomas W. Ferry, of Michigan, would be his successor. The country has reason to shudder at the possibility .... [I]f Mr. Ferry is still an inflationist it would be inexcusable for the Senate to retain him in his present position, when only a single life stands between so dangerous a man and the Presidency of the United States."
I was also in the convention of the Senate and the House when it was declared from the desk, Mr. Speaker, you now occupy, by the acting Vice-President of the United States (Senator Ferry of Michigan), that Rutherford B. Hayes had received a majority of the electoral votes of the States and was elected President.
T. W. Ferry, acting Vice-President of the United States.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan's 4th congressional district March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 2) from Michigan March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1883 Served alongside:Zachariah Chandler,Isaac P. Christiancy,Henry P. Baldwin,Omar D. Conger | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President pro tempore of the United States Senate March 9, 1875 – March 3, 1879 | Succeeded by |
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| Class 2 | ||
| Rules (1870–1947) | | |
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| Rules and Administration (1947–present) | ||
| Post Office and Post Roads (1816–1947) | | |
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| Civil Service and Retrenchment (1873–1921) | ||
| Civil Service (1921–1947) | ||
| Post Office and Civil Service (1947–1977) | ||
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| Impeachment | ||
| Impeachment trial | ||
| Other | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
