Samuel Edwin Merwin, Jr. (August 31, 1831 – March 5, 1907), was an American
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
who was the
64th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1889 to 1893.
Brief Descriptions of Connecticut State Agencies, Lieutenant Governor
.
Early life
Merwin was born in Brookfield, Connecticut
Brookfield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, situated within the southern foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. The population was 17,528 at the 2020 census. The town is located northeast of New York City, making it part ...
on August 31, 1831, the son of Samuel Edwin Merwin Sr. and Ruby ( née Nearing) Merwin.
Career
He received his early education in the district school and then from a private tutor. By the age of 16, he moved to New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
. He served as a clerk in a store for three years, then went into business with his father. Later, he became president of the New Haven and Yale National Banks. He was a commanding officer of a company known as the "New Haven Grays" in the U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
during the U.S. Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states t ...
.[
]
Political career
In 1872, Merwin became a member of the Connecticut State Senate
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,280 inhabitants. Sen ...
for the 4th district,[The Political Graveyard, Index to Politicians: Merwin.](_blank)
/ref> as the first Republican ever from that district[ He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1884.]Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
The following is a list of lieutenant governors of the State of Connecticut.
Lieutenant governors of the State of Connecticut, 1776–present
Notes
References
;Constitutions
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;Specific
External linksOfficial website of the L ...
in November 1888, and served from January 10, 1889, while Morgan Bulkeley
Morgan Gardner Bulkeley (December 26, 1837 – November 6, 1922) was an American politician, businessman, and sports executive. A Republican, he served in the American Civil War, and became a Hartford bank president before becoming the third p ...
was the governor. In the election of 1890, Merwin defeated Bulkeley to the nomination for Republican candidate in the gubernatorial election. His opponent received a majority of less than 100 votes, and the election was contested. There was a deadlock for two years, until the next election, in which Bulkeley still served as governor.[ Merwin continued serving as lieutenant governor during those years.]Luzon Buritt Morris
Luzon Buritt Morris (April 16, 1827 – August 22, 1895) was an American lawyer and politician from Connecticut. He served as the 55th governor of Connecticut.
Biography
Morris was born in Newtown, Connecticut. He prepared for college at the C ...
, and in 1894, Owen Vincent Coffin
Owen Vincent Coffin (June 20, 1836 – January 13, 1921) was an American politician and the 56th Governor of Connecticut from 1895 to 1897.
Biography
Coffin was born in Mansfield, New York. He studied at Cortland Academy and the Charlottesvil ...
was the Republican candidate and won the election.
Personal life
Merwin died at his residence in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
on March 5, 1907, after an illness of three years.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merwin, Samuel E.
Military personnel from Connecticut
1831 births
1907 deaths
Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut
Connecticut Adjutant Generals
Connecticut state senators
People from Brookfield, Connecticut
19th-century American politicians