Alexander H. Holley

Alexander Hamilton Holley (August 12, 1804 – October 2, 1887) was an American politician and the 40th Governor of Connecticut.

Life and politics

Holley was born in Salisbury, Connecticut on August 12, 1804. He was a Congregationalist and studied at the public schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. He was married to Jane M. Lyman (1808 - 1832), Marcia Coffing and Sarah C. Day. He had six children,^[1] John Milton Holley, William Ralston Holley, Alexander Lyman Holley (1832 - 1882), John Coffing Holley (1837 - 1865), Maria Holley Rudd (1842 - 1914).^[2]

Career

Holley served in the state militia, rising through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel. He entered politics in 1844, serving as a delegate to the Whig National Convention. Holley became president of the Holley Manufacturing Company in 1854 and held that position for life. He also became director of the Salisbury Iron Bank and Connecticut Western Railroad.

Holley was nominated by the Republican Party and elected the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1854, and became the Governor of Connecticut in 1857. During his term, his administration endorsed the requirement for recently naturalized citizens to wait one year before being eligible to vote, and the Supreme Court ruled on the Dred Scott case.^[1] He left office on May 5, 1858. He was a delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1860,^[3] and retired from public service.

Death

Holley died on October 2, 1887, Lakeville. He is interred at Salisbury Cemetery, Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut.^[2]

References

Further reading

• Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. Greenwood Press, 1988. ISBN 0-313-28093-2

External links

• National Governors Association
• 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