James B. Ray

James B. Ray

James Brown Ray (February 19, 1794 – August 4, 1848) was an Indiana politician and the only Senate President-Pro-Tempore to succeed to become Governor of the State of Indiana. He served during the period when the state transitioned from personal politics to political parties, but never joined a party himself. Elevated at age 31, he was the state's youngest governor. Serving from 1825 to 1831, he was the longest-serving governor under the constitution of 1816, and was most known for his eccentricity and early promotion of the creation of large scale railroad system in the state. The state experienced a period of prosperity during his term and a 55% population increase, the greatest of any governor. His promotion of railroads and his alleged involvement in several scandals caused him to lose popularity as his opponents, who favored the creation of canals, considered railroads to be a fantasy idea. Leaving office, he continued to advocate the creation of a railroad system until his death.