Marsh Giddings

Marsh Giddings
Governor Giddings
8th Governor of New Mexico Territory
In office 1871–1875
Preceded by	William Anderson Pile
Succeeded by	William G. Ritch (acting)
Personal details
Born	19 November 1816 Sherman, Connecticut
Died	3 June 1875 Santa Fe, New Mexico
Political party	Republican
Occupation	politician

Marsh Giddings (19 November 1816 – 3 June 1875) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan, who was appointed as U.S. consul-general to India and later served as the Governor of New Mexico Territory from 1871 to 1875.

Giddings was born in Sherman, Connecticut, to William and Jane (Ely) Giddings, who moved to Kalamazoo County, Michigan when he was 13. In 1834, he entered Western Reserve college (which later became part of Case Western Reserve University), at Hudson, Ohio, but did not finish. When he was 21 he was elected as a Justice of the Peace for Richland Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. In 1836, he married Louisa Mills.

Giddings was elected as a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives from Kalamazoo County in 1849. He served as a probate judge in Michigan, 1860–68; a Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1864; a member of the Republican National Committee from Michigan, 1866–70; a delegate to Michigan state constitutional convention, 1867; and a delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan in 1868.

U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant nominated Giddings to be consul-general of the United States at Calcutta, India, 1870 , as part of his patronage based spoils system. Giddings was paid, but never left Michigan. Some biographical sketches indicate that Giddings declined to go to India due to concerns about his health. Grant then nominated Giddings as Governor of New Mexico Territory, after Willard Warner had declined that post. Giddings took up his duties at the end of August 1871, although he was not confirmed by the United States Senate until later that December.