Edward Coles was a neighbor and associate of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, and served as James Madison's secretary. He was an anti-slavery advocate and urged Jefferson to free his slaves. Coles himself moved to Illinois in 1819 and manumitted 19 of his slaves and obtained land for them. He was one of a very few slaveowners to entirely manumit his slaves. Coles was elected Illinois governor in 1822 and served until 1826. During his term, he led the effort to prevent a constitutional convention that was a potential way by which slavery might be increased in Illinois. It is said that he contributed his gubernatorial salary ($1000 a year) to the anti-convention/anti-slavery effort. Later, Coles was a founding member of Illinois' first historical society. He moved to Philadelphia in the 1830s. Although he didn't resume a political career, he continued his anti-slavery advocacy and lived to see its end. He is considered one of the two best governors of early Illinois statehood (the other is Thomas Ford, governor in 1842-1846). Coles was born December 15, 1786.
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