James Pollock (1810-1890)
Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Governor of Pennsylvania, 1855-58. The state debt and taxes were reduced during his term by the sale of state-owned canals and railroads. The Normal School Act of 1857 established regional teacher training institutions throughout Pa. He was one of the founders of Penn State University. As Director of the US Mint in 1864, he conceived the motto "In God We Trust" for coins. Pollock was born in Milton and buried in Milton Cemetery.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Born in Milton in 1810, James Pollock served as governor of Pennsylvania from 1855 to 1858, reducing the state's debt by selling off its canals and railroads and signing the 1857 Normal School Act that spread teacher-training schools across the commonwealth. A founder of what became Penn State University, he later served as Director of the U.S. Mint, where in 1864 he championed placing the motto "In God We Trust" on the nation's coins. He is buried in the town where his life began.
Why it matters
From public education in Pennsylvania to a motto still stamped on American money, Pollock left marks on national life that outlasted his time in office.
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Related people
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