Henry Baldwin Harrison

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Henry Baldwin Harrison (1821-1901) was a Republican politician and the Governor of Connecticut.

[edit] 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 for Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1857, and for Governor in 1874, but he returned to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1865, 1873, and 1883; during his last term, he was Speaker of the House. From 1885-1887, he served as Governor of Connecticut.

[edit] Impact

Harrison's contributions included initiatives on prohibition of alcohol and abolition of slavery. Issues of great concern to him were education and workers' rights. He served in the Legislature at the time of the Industrial Revolution and witnessed the growing problems caused by industrialization. As Governor, he created the state Bureau of Labor Statistics, and he pushed for compulsory 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."

[edit] Personal

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Harrison graduated from Yale College in 1846, where he was a member of Skull & Bones. He was a member of Connecticut Sons 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 in New Haven, Connecticut, October 29, 1901. He is interred at Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven.

[edit] References

• Connecticut Sons of the American Revolution, 1892-1903 Yearbooks
• Harrison at Political Graveyard
• Skull and Bones Membership List (1833-1985)
• Skull and Bones Members at Area907.info

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