Alvan Flanders

Alvan Flanders
8th Governor of Washington Territory
In office April 5, 1869 – March 4, 1870
Preceded by	Marshall F. Moore
Succeeded by	Edward S. Salomon
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington Territory's at-large district
In office March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869
Preceded by	Arthur Armstrong Denny
Succeeded by	Selucius Garfielde
Personal details
Born	(1825-08-02)August 2, 1825 Hopkinton, New Hampshire
Died	March 14, 1894(1894-03-14) (aged 68) San Francisco, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Elizabeth M. Smith
Children	1

Alvan Flanders (August 2, 1825 – March 14, 1894)^[1] was an American businessman and politician who served as the 8th governor of Washington Territory from 1869 to 1870. A member of the Republican, he previously served as the U.S. representative for Washington Territory's at-large congressional district from 1867 to 1869.

Born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, Flanders attended the public schools in New Hampshire, and learned the machinist trade in Boston. He married Nancy Acorn on June 14, 1848. Later he married Elizabeth M. Smith on December 7, 1855. He had one son, Eddie.^[2]

Flanders moved to Humboldt County, California, in 1851, and there engaged in the lumber business until 1858. He moved to San Francisco. He was one of the founders and proprietors of the "San Francisco Daily Times". He served as member of the California State Assembly in 1861. He was an officer of the United States branch mint in 1861.

Flanders moved to the Territory of Washington in 1863 and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Wallula. He became the first postmaster of Wallula 1865–1867.^[3]

Flanders was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress (March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1868. He was appointed by President Grant as Governor of the Territory of Washington on April 5, 1869, and served until 1870. He returned to San Francisco, at the expiration of his term.

Flanders died in San Francisco on March 14, 1894. He was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery which no longer exists, and his re-interment location is unknown.^[4] He was related to the political Flanders family of Vermont. He was cousin to; Francis Durrell Flanders, Benjamin Franklin Flanders, and Ralph Edward Flanders.^[5]

• Meany, Edmond S (1915). Governors of Washington : territorial and state. University of Washington.Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection

• United States Congress. "Alvan Flanders (id: F000188)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Washington Secretary of State Archived March 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
• The Political Graveyard

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress