Lithograph depicting Andrew Horatio Reeder (1807-1864) disguised as a woodchopper

Lithograph depicting Andrew Horatio Reeder (1807-1864) disguised as a woodchopper

"First Governor of the Territory of Kansas, in the disguise in which he escaped from Kansas City as a deck passenger on the steamer A. B. Chambers, from the armed invaders who sought his life on account to his devotion of freedom."

On June 29, 1854, President Franklin Pierce appointed Reeder as governor of the territory of Kansas where he remained in office until August 16, 1855, when he was fired.

Pierce formally dismissed Reeder for his refusal to use his position to aid in making Kansas a slave state. In May 1856, facing indictment for high treason, he left the territory disguised as a woodchopper.

This era is known in history as "Bleeding Kansas" due to the bloodshed and violence that took place there between pro-slavery and aboltionists.  

Reeder was married to Frederika Amalia Hutter who was George Christian Hutter's sister. George Hutter purchased Sandusky in 1841 and lived there until his death in 1879.

Cyrenius Hall

Hutter family papers purchased at auction 8 June 2019

Historic Sandusky-University of Lynchburg

1880

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Horatio_Reeder

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