Governor of Ohio, State Auditor, Newspaper Executive. Born in Marietta, Ohio, he apprenticed as a printer at the Marietta Gazette in 1823. He then moved to Athens, Ohio and began to work for the Athens Mirror in 1825 and later became a journalist. In 1832, Brough purchased a newspaper company, the Washington County Republican. He sold his interest the following year and entered into a partnership with his brother, Charles Brough, as an owner of the Lancaster Eagle. While running the newspaper, he also served as Clerk of Courts for the Ohio State Senate from 1835 to 1837. Elected as a Democrat to the Ohio State House of Representatives, he served from 1838 to 1839. As a member of the General Assembly, he was Chairman of the House Committee on Banks and Currency. He was elected as Ohio's State Auditor in 1839 and served until 1845. He then purchased the Cincinnati Advisor with his brother and renamed the newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer. While running the paper, Brough was president of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad from 1848 to 1853. Praised for directing several improvements to the railways in Southern Indiana, he was forced to remove himself as president after a poor engineering decision, called "Brough's Folly," exhausted the company's capital. When the Civil War began, he became a member of the Union Party, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans who opposed the secession of the southern states. In 1863, he became a candidate for the office of Governor and ran against Clement Vallandigham, who campaigned from Canada while in exile. Elected as Ohio's 26th Governor, he served from 1864 until his death in office in 1865. He declined nomination by President Abraham Lincoln as Secretary of Treasury in 1864. As Governor, he improved conditions at military hospitals and supported a tax that provided financial support for soldiers' families. Brough offered the Ohio Militia to the Union Army for service and helped to initiate recruiting volunteers to serve in those regiments. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, from a gangrenous foot infection due to an injury, when he was 53 years old.
Governor of Ohio, State Auditor, Newspaper Executive. Born in Marietta, Ohio, he apprenticed as a printer at the Marietta Gazette in 1823. He then moved to Athens, Ohio and began to work for the Athens Mirror in 1825 and later became a journalist. In 1832, Brough purchased a newspaper company, the Washington County Republican. He sold his interest the following year and entered into a partnership with his brother, Charles Brough, as an owner of the Lancaster Eagle. While running the newspaper, he also served as Clerk of Courts for the Ohio State Senate from 1835 to 1837. Elected as a Democrat to the Ohio State House of Representatives, he served from 1838 to 1839. As a member of the General Assembly, he was Chairman of the House Committee on Banks and Currency. He was elected as Ohio's State Auditor in 1839 and served until 1845. He then purchased the Cincinnati Advisor with his brother and renamed the newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer. While running the paper, Brough was president of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad from 1848 to 1853. Praised for directing several improvements to the railways in Southern Indiana, he was forced to remove himself as president after a poor engineering decision, called "Brough's Folly," exhausted the company's capital. When the Civil War began, he became a member of the Union Party, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans who opposed the secession of the southern states. In 1863, he became a candidate for the office of Governor and ran against Clement Vallandigham, who campaigned from Canada while in exile. Elected as Ohio's 26th Governor, he served from 1864 until his death in office in 1865. He declined nomination by President Abraham Lincoln as Secretary of Treasury in 1864. As Governor, he improved conditions at military hospitals and supported a tax that provided financial support for soldiers' families. Brough offered the Ohio Militia to the Union Army for service and helped to initiate recruiting volunteers to serve in those regiments. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, from a gangrenous foot infection due to an injury, when he was 53 years old.
Bio by: K Guy
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