Edward H. East

Edward Hazzard East (October 1, 1830 – November 12, 1904) was an American attorney, judge, and politician. He served as Secretary of State for the state of Tennessee from 1862 to 1865, having been appointed by Andrew Johnson, the state's military governor under the Union Army occupation during the Civil War. East briefly served as the state's acting governor during the interim between Johnson's inauguration as U.S. Vice President on March 4, 1865, and the inauguration of the state's "elected" governor, William G. Brownlow, on April 5, 1865. Afterward, he practiced law in Nashville. When Johnson was elected vice president on Lincoln's ticket in November 1864, authorities realized there would be a month between Johnson's inauguration as vice president on March 4, 1865, and the inauguration of William G. Brownlow as governor on April 5. Several of Lincoln's advisors suggested he appoint Brownlow military governor for this interim, but Lincoln chose to allow East to continue as acting governor. The official Tennessee Blue Book does not recognize East's governorship and does not include East in its official list of former governors.

When Johnson became president following Lincoln's assassination, he asked East to serve in his cabinet, but East declined. Afterward, he worked as counsel for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. but placed a distant fourth behind Democrat Peter Turney, Republican George W. Winstead, and Farm-Labor incumbent John P. Buchanan.

Death East died in Davidson County on November 12, 1904. He is interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville.

Family life and public service

East was the second husband of Ida Horton. Edward and Ida had two daughters, Edine and Bessie.

East served on the inaugural board of trust of Vanderbilt University. He was also president of the board of trust for the Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville, and president of the board of directors for the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane. In 1880, he was awarded an honorary LL.D from the University of Nashville. East represented the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at the Methodist Ecumenical Council in London in 1881.