Abiram Chamberlain

Abiram Chamberlain (December 7, 1837 – May 15, 1911) was an American politician, and the 60th Governor of Connecticut from 1903 to 1905.

Biography

Chamberlain was born in Colebrook, Connecticut on December 7, 1837, son of Abiram Chamberlain and Sophronia Ruth (Burt) Chamberlain.^[1] He was a student of civil engineering at the Williston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He was married on November 21, 1872, to Charlotte E. Roberts^[2] and they had two children. Chamberlain worked at father's engineering firm for many years.

Career

Chamberlain entered into banking and at the age of thirty, in 1867, he was elected Cashier of the Home National Bank of Meriden and moved to that city.In 1881 he was elected president of that bank and served as president of the New Britain National Bank in 1881. He also served as vice president of the Meriden Savings Bank.^[3]

Entering into politics in the 1870s, as a member of the Meriden city council, Chamberlain also served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1877 to 1878, and was Connecticut's state comptroller from 1901 to 1902.

Chamberlain won the 1902 Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was elected Connecticut's 43rd governor. During his tenure, he signed legislation that sanctioned the establishment of the Connecticut State Police, and he endorsed laws that assisted workers.^[4] On January 4, 1905, Chamberlain left office and retired from public service. He returned to his various business interests in Meriden.

Death

Chamberlain died on May 15, 1911, (age 73 years, 159 days). He is interred at Walnut Grove Cemetery, Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut.^[5]

References

External links

• Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. Greenwood Press, 1988. ISBN 0-313-28093-2
• National Governors Association
• The governors of Connecticut: biographies of the chief executives
• Find A Grave
• The Political Graveyard

Governors of Connecticut Trumbull, Sr. M. Griswold Huntington Wolcott, Sr. Trumbull, Jr. Treadwall R. Griswold Smith Wolcott, Jr. Tomlinson Peters Edwards Foot Edwards Ellsworth Cleveland R. S. Baldwin Toucey Bissell J. Trumbull Seymour Pond Dutton Minor Holley Buckingham Hawley English Jewell English Jewell Ingersoll Hubbard Andrews Bigelow Waller Harrison P. Lounsbury Bulkeley Morris Coffin Cooke G. Lounsbury McLean Chamberlain Roberts Woodruff Lilley Weeks S. Baldwin Holcomb Lake Templeton Bingham J. H. Trumbull Cross R. E. Baldwin Hurley R. E. Baldwin Snow McConaughy Shannon Bowles Lodge Ribicoff Dempsey Meskill Grasso O'Neill Weicker Rowland Rell Malloy