Thursday, July 1, 2010

Interlude

Earlier this week, a team of construction workers unearthed the crypt of Michigan’s first governor, Stevens T. Mason, in Capitol Park in Detroit. The plan is to move the remains to a more prominent location. According to mlive.com, this is the third time Governor Mason’s remains have been moved: “Mason died in 1843 in New York, but his body was moved to Detroit's Capitol Park in 1905. His remains were moved to another location in the park in 1955.” However, no records of the 1955 move exist.

Stevens T. Mason, the “Boy Governor,” was elected territorial governor of the Michigan Territory at age 22 and then elected governor of the State of Michigan at age 24, in 1835. According to Wikipedia, “Mason is the youngest state governor in American history.” I tell you this for several reasons. First, it is an interesting historic tidbit and, while obviously a modest detour from the task at hand, I’m all about interesting historic tidbits. Second, Michigan being my home, I am proud that we had such a youngling for a leader in the early heady days of statehood. Admittedly, his youth makes me feel vaguely inadequate in much the same way that Beyonce’s age (seven and a half months my junior) makes me feel like an utter failure. Nevertheless, personal insecurities aside, this Mason fellow is fairly impressive. And finally, there is something grimly fascinating about old bones (or maybe ashes?) being uncovered a few blocks from my workplace.

Ok. Interlude over. A dear friend is working on a guest entry (!) for President Taft, so that’ll be up soon.

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