William Henry Bulkeley (March 2, 1840 – November 7, 1902) was an American politician who was the 60th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1881 to 1883.

Early life

William H. Bulkeley was born in

East Haddam, Connecticut East Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut. The population was 8,875 at the time of the 2020 census. History Until 1650, the area of East Haddam was inhabited by at least three Indigenous peoples: the Wangunk, the Mohegan and the N ...

, March 2, 1840.Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut - 1891
Compiled and Published by J. A. Spalding, Hartford Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Company, 1891. He was the son of Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley and Lydia S. Bulkeley and the brother of

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 ...

. His father was Member of Connecticut State Senate for the 19th District, 1838, 1840 and Speaker of the

Connecticut House of Representatives The Connecticut State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with ...

. His brother was

Governor of Connecticut The governor of Connecticut is the head of government of Connecticut, and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Connecticut Military Department, military forces. The Governor (United States), governor has a duty to enforce state laws, ...

from 1889 to 1893 and a

United States senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

. In 1847, the family moved to Hartford, Connecticut. He left high school before graduation, despite admirable records, and entered an old, leading dry-goods establishment as a clerk. In March 1857, he moved to Brooklyn, New York City, and engaged in the same business with H.P. Morgan & Co, before starting in the trade himself. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1868, he returned to Hartford, where he organized the Kellog & Bulkeley Company, lithographers, of which he was president for many years. He was also vice-president of the Aetna Life Insurance Company for many years.

Political career

Bulkeley was a Republican. He was in the common council board of Hardford for five years, serving one year as vice-president, on year as president. He was then appointed a member of the board of street commissioners. He was elected

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 * * * ;Specific External linksOfficial website of the L ...

in November 1880 and served for one two-year term from January 5, 1881 to January 3, 1883, alongside governor Hobart B. Bigelow. He was a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in Connecticut National Guard. In 1895 he became, along with his brother Morgan, a member of the

Military Order of Foreign Wars The Military Order of Foreign Wars of the United States (MOFW) is one of the oldest veterans' and hereditary associations in the nation with a membership that includes officers and their hereditary descendants from all of the Armed Services. Memb ...

(MOFW) by right of their descent from Captain Eliphalet Bulkeley who was an office in the Connecticut Militia during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

. In 1896 he was a founding member of the Connecticut Commandery of the MOFW. He died at his home in Hartford on November 7, 1902.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bulkeley, William H. 1840 births 1902 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut