Cyrus Gray Luce was an American politician. He was born on July 2, 1824, and died on March 18, 1905. He served as the 21st governor of Michigan.

Early life in Ohio and Indiana

Luce was born in Windsor, Ashtabula County, Ohio, to Walter and Mary Gray Luce. Walter Luce was a soldier in the War of 1812 from Tolland, Connecticut. After the war, he moved to the Connecticut Western Reserve. He and Mary had three sons: Cyrus Gray, Charles Leverett, and George Lester Luce. At age twelve, Cyrus moved west with his family to Steuben County, Indiana. After leaving school at seventeen, Cyrus Luce worked from 1841 to 1848 in a woolen mill. His tasks included sorting and preparing wool and finishing cloth before it was sold.

Life and politics in Michigan

In 1848, Luce ran as a candidate for the Whig Party in the Indiana House of Representatives for the district that included Steuben and DeKalb counties. He lost the election by a small margin. That same year, he bought 80 acres (320,000 m²) of land near Gilead, Michigan, in Branch County, close to the Indiana state line.

Luce cleared the land to use for farming. In 1849, he married Julia A. Dickinson of Gilead. Over time, he bought more land to expand his property. He joined the Grange in 1874 and remained an active member for many years.

In 1852, Luce was elected to represent Gilead Township on the Branch County Board of Supervisors. In 1854, he was chosen as a Republican Party candidate for the Michigan State House of Representatives to represent Branch County’s second district. He served from 1855 to 1856. In 1858 and again in 1860, he was elected as Branch County Treasurer. In 1864, he was named to fill a seat in the Michigan Senate for the 15th district. He was re-elected to the 13th district seat in 1866. In July 1879, Luce was appointed State Oil Inspector by Governor Charles Croswell. He was re-appointed by Governor David Jerome in 1881.

Luce’s first wife, Julia, died in August 1882. He married Mary Thompson of Bronson, Michigan, in November 1883.

As a Republican candidate, Luce was elected Governor of Michigan in November 1886. He defeated George L. Yaple and took office on January 1, 1887. He was re-elected in 1888 and served two two-year terms. During his time as governor, a local liquor option law was approved, and a state game warden position was created, believed to be the first paid state game warden role in the United States. Luce appointed William Alden Smith for this position. Smith later served as a U.S. Senator from Michigan.

Death and legacy

Luce passed away at the age of 80 in Coldwater, Michigan, and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, which is located near the city. Luce County, in the Upper Peninsula, was named after him. He was the last governor of the state to have a county named after him. During his time as governor, northern Michigan experienced fast population growth and development, driven by the lumber industry. An important state landmark, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, was built in 1887 while he was governor.