Epaphroditus Ransom

Epaphroditus Ransom (March 24, 1798 – November 11, 1859) was Governor and Michigan Supreme Court justice from the U.S. state of Michigan. Ransom was born in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. There is disagreement about the year of his birth, sometimes given as 1787, 1796, 1797, or 1798. Sources have also shown two different dates of death, November 9th and 11th. His tombstone shows he died at the age of 61 on November 11, 1859, which shows the 1798... more

Epaphroditus Ransom (March 24, 1798 – November 11, 1859) was Governor and Michigan Supreme Court justice from the U.S. state of Michigan. Ransom was born in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. There is disagreement about the year of his birth, sometimes given as 1787, 1796, 1797, or 1798. Sources have also shown two different dates of death, November 9th and 11th. His tombstone shows he died at the age of 61 on November 11, 1859, which shows the 1798 year of birth to be correct. He was the first of twelve children and was educated at various schools in New England, such as Chester Academy of Vermont for four years. He studied law at the Law School of Northampton, Massachusetts receiving his degree in 1823, and then began his own practice in Townshend, Vermont. He married Almira Cadwell in 1827 and they had four children, yet two would die during infancy. He was elected to the state Vermont House of Representatives, but after seeing his siblings move to Michigan Territory as well as... less