John F. Hartranft
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John Frederick Hartranft (16 December 1830 - 17 October 1889) was governor of Pennsylvania from 1873 to 1879. Trained as a civil engineer, Hartranft worked for railroads briefly before becoming deputy sheriff in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He attended school in Virginia and received his degree from Union College in New York. Before the war he was a trained civil engineer, a lawyer, and had held political office. The 90-day volunteer unit he belonged to turned its back and went home on the eve of First Manassas. Though their enlistment was up, Hartranft was humiliated by the decision and he stayed to fight with the army. This act earned him the Medal of Honor. He spent time in North Carolina, fought at Battle of Antietam, and served in the West, before gaining command of the 3rd Division of the IX Corps towards the end of the war. He commanded the Fourth, and then the 51st Pennsylvania Volunteers during the American Civil War; he was finally promoted to the rank of general in March 1865. Hartranft is credited with the Union success at Battle of Fort Stedman and for this was made a brevet major general. At war's end he was appointed a special provost marshal during the trial of those accused in Lincoln's assassination.
He switched party alleigances following the war and became a Republican, serving in John Geary's administration before running for governor himself in 1872.
| Preceded by: John White Geary | Governor of Pennsylvania 1873–1879 | Succeeded by: Henry Martin Hoyt |