Asahel Huntington (July 28, 1798 – September 5, 1870) was an American politician who served as a

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one ...

. Huntington was born in

Topsfield, Massachusetts Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,569 at the 2020 census. Topsfield is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts. Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfie ...

on July 23, 1798. His father was the Rev. Asahel Huntington, and his mother was Alethea, daughter of Dr. Elisha Lord, of

Pomfret, Connecticut Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut with a population of 4,266 according to the 2020 United States Census. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. It was incorporated in 1713 and was named after Pontefract ...

. Huntington was the brother of Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Elisha Huntington. Huntington graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1819. After leaving College, Huntington commenced his legal studies at

Newburyport Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The m ...

, and after some interruptions completed them at Salem, Mass., where he was admitted to the bar in 1824. He continued in practice in Salem until 1851, when he was appointed clerk of all the courts in Essex County; this office he held till his death. He served the State repeatedly in the

Massachusetts Legislature The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. The name "General Court" is a holdover from the earliest days o ...

, and in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1853, and in the same year was mayor of the city of Salem. He was also a longtime member of the Salem school board. He died in Salem on September 5, 1870, after a brief illness. On August 15, 1842, he married Caroline (Deblois) Tucker, of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, who survived him, with a son and daughter.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huntington, Asahel 1798 births 1870 deaths Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Mayors of Salem, Massachusetts Phillips Academy alumni Yale College alumni District attorneys in Essex County, Massachusetts District attorneys in Middlesex County, Massachusetts 19th-century mayors of places in Massachusetts 19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court