George Hull (January 8, 1788 – January 7, 1868) was an American, merchant, businessman, and

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

from

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. A prominent shop owner in

Sandisfield, Massachusetts Sandisfield is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 989 at the 2020 census. History Sandisfield was first settled in 1750 as Hou ...

, he served as the 15th

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

for the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

from 1836 through 1843.http://www.lacolony.org/Grave-Stone%20Inscriptions%20of%20Sandisfield%20Massachusetts.pdf

Life

George Hull was born in

Farmington, Connecticut Farmington is a town in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 26,712 at the 2020 census. It sits 10 miles west of Hartford at the hub of major I-84 interchanges, 20 miles s ...

, to Eliakim Hull, who moved his family to

, when George was twelve. The elder Hull opened a shop, in which his son was employed as a clerk. George Hull was educated in the local district school in Farmington prior to the family's move, but received no further formal education. He took over management of the store when he turned 21, and became prominent in local civic affairs, serving as the town's postmaster, town clerk, and in other civic posts. In addition to these activities, he owned farmland near the town center, and also operated a bank in nearby Lee. In 1821 he was elected as a state representative as a Whig, and in 1823 and 1824 he won election to the state senate. In 1826 he was again elected as a state representative, although he was defeated in the same year in a bid for a seat in the United States Congress. In 1830 he won election to the

Massachusetts Governor's Council The Massachusetts Governor's Council (also known as the Executive Council) is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matterssuch as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutationsto the Governor of Massachusetts. Council ...

, and in 1835 he began a seven-year stint as

Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...

, serving under Governors

Edward Everett Edward Everett (April 11, 1794 – January 15, 1865) was an American politician, Unitarian pastor, educator, diplomat, and orator from Massachusetts. Everett, as a Whig, served as U.S. representative, U.S. senator, the 15th governor of Massa ...

Marcus Morton Marcus Morton (1784 – February 6, 1864) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Taunton, Massachusetts. He served two terms as Governor of Massachusetts and several months as Acting Governor following the death in 1825 of Willia ...

, and John Davis. In his later years, he became a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. For the last ten years of his life, he was afflicted with progressive blindness. His business suffered, due in part to his political activities and the economic effects of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and he was forced into bankruptcy in 1862. He married Sarah Allen of

Wethersfield, Connecticut Wethersfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut. It is located immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River. Its population was 27,298 at the time of the 2020 census. Many records from colonial times spell the name ...

; the couple had seven children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hull, George Lieutenant Governors of Massachusetts Massachusetts Whigs 19th-century American politicians 1788 births 1868 deaths