- Henry Baldwin Harrison
Henry Baldwin Harrison (1821-1901) was a Republican
politician and theGovernor of Connecticut .Elected offices
Harrison ran for office as a Republican. In 1854, he won a seat in the
Connecticut state senate (4th District). He lost a bid forLieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1857, and for Governor in 1874, but he returned to theConnecticut House of Representatives in 1865, 1873, and 1883; during his last term, he wasSpeaker of the House . From 1885-1887, he served as Governor of Connecticut.Impact
Harrison's contributions included initiatives on
prohibition ofalcohol andabolition ofslavery . Issues of great concern to him wereeducation andworkers' rights . He served in the Legislature at the time of theIndustrial Revolution and witnessed the growing problems caused by industrialization. As Governor, he created the stateBureau of Labor Statistics , and he pushed forcompulsory education to the age of 16 for Connecticut's children.He gave a moving eulogy at the funeral of his cousin, also a Governor of the State of Connecticut,
Roger Sherman Baldwin . Harrison said, "It has been well said that Governor Baldwin was a great lawyer. He was an upright, a just, a conscientious and honorable man. Governor Baldwin was a true son of Connecticut. His memory deserves all honors from Connecticut, and from every one of her children."Personal
Born in
New Haven, Connecticut , Harrison graduated fromYale College in 1846, where he was a member ofSkull & Bones . He was a member of ConnecticutSons of the American Revolution . He married Mary Elizabeth Osborne "(the daughter of Yale Law Professor and US Congressman Thomas Burr Osborne and Ann Sherwood.)" Harrison died inNew Haven, Connecticut , October 29, 1901. He is interred atGrove Street Cemetery in New Haven.References
* [http://www.ancestorinfo.com/Conn.%20SAR.htm Connecticut Sons of the American Revolution, 1892-1903 Yearbooks]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/harrison.html Harrison] atPolitical Graveyard
* [http://www.firstplumbline.net/html/skullandboneslistofnames.html Skull and Bones Membership List (1833-1985)]
* [http://area907.info/911/index.php?Henry%20Baldwin%20Harrison Skull and Bones Members] at [http://area907.info/911/index.php Area907.info]
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