John Harper Trumbull (March 4, 1873 – May 21, 1961) was an American politician who served as the
70th Governor of Connecticut.
Early life
Trumbull was born in
Ashford, Connecticut
Ashford is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the Connecticut Quiet Corner. The population was 4,191 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It was founded in 1714. Eastford, Connecticut, Ea ...
son of Hugh Homer Trumbull (1847–1922) and Mary Ann (Harper) Trumbull (1849–1923). Despite his name, he was not related to the previous governors of
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
of the same name, but was the son of
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
immigrants who moved to Ashford in the early 1870s to run a farm. The family later moved to
Plainville, Connecticut
Plainville is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 17,525 at the 2020 census.
History
Plainville first was inhabited by Europeans around 1650. By the 1660s, the land was incorporated as land for nearby Farm ...
. Trumbull did not attend college.
Career
As a partner with his brother, Henry and one other man, Frank T. Wheeler, in 1891, he formed the Trumbull Electric Company, which produced electrical supply parts including porcelain fixtures, switchboards and panels. He served as President of that company from 1911 to 1944.
It later became part of
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...
. He also was board chairman of
Colonial Air Transport
Colonial Air Transport was an early airline that flew between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts.
History
It was established as Bee Line on 16 March 1923 and operated out Naugatuck, Connecticut; in 1926 was reorganised in New York City by ...
, Incorporated; director and treasurer of Plainville Realty Company; president of Plainville Trust Company; and director of
Connecticut Light & Power Company (Eversource Energy).
Trumbull joined the First Connecticut Infantry in 1891, attaining the rank of
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in the State Guard. He was 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 ...
. Trumbull served in the
Connecticut Senate
The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,280 inhabitants. Sen ...
and as
president pro tempore from 1923 to 1924, succeeding
William H. Hall.
Elected the
79th lieutenant governor in November 1924, Trumbull held that office from January 7 to January 8, 1925, as the
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
,
Hiram Bingham III
Hiram Bingham III (November 19, 1875 – June 6, 1956) was an American academic, explorer and politician. He made public the existence of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in 1911 with the guidance of local indigenous farmers. Later, Bingham s ...
, resigned after one day as a governor to become a
U.S. Senator. Trumbull had learned to pilot his own airplanes and was dubbed "The Flying Governor" because he often flew into
Robertson Field Airport in Plainville.
Trumbull was a
conservative Republican and made sure to balance the State budget. He also sought to assist Connecticut's businesses. During his terms in office, the government started a building program and worked at improving the roads of the State. He sponsored an aviation development, and launched numerous construction projects. He was re-elected as governor two times, in 1926 and 1928, but chose not to run for reelection in 1930. He left the office on January 7, 1931. However, he ran for the office again in 1932, but was defeated by his successor,
Democratic incumbent
Wilbur Cross.
Trumbull continued to oversee his business interests. He also served as a Delegate to the Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1920 as Alternate. Organizer and president, Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Co.; board chairman, Colonial Air Transport, Inc.; director and treasurer, Plainville Realty Co.; president, Plainville Trust Co.; director, Connecticut Light & Power Co.; delegate to
Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1920 (alternate), 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936. He stayed active as vice president of the Connecticut Humane Society and the
Connecticut Historical Society
The Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the official statewide historical society of Connecticut. Established in Hartford in 1825, the CHS is one of the oldest historical societies in the US.
...
.
Personal life
Trumbull was married on November 28, 1903, to Maud Pierce Usher (1874–1963), and they had two daughters:
* Florence Trumbull (1904–1998), who married
John Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge (September 7, 1906 – May 31, 2000) was an American executive, businessman, and entrepreneur with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and the first son of President Calvin Coolidge and Grace Coolidge.
Early life ...
(1906–2000),
son of President
Calvin Coolidge
* Jean Usher Trumbull (1910–1994) who married Alaric R. Bailey of
Jamestown, New York
Trumbull died in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 21, 1961. He is interred at West Cemetery, Plainville, Connecticut.
References
External links
Office of the Governor: John Harper Trumbullat Connecticut State Library
*
National Governors Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trumbull, John H
1873 births
1961 deaths
Republican Party Connecticut state senators
Coolidge family
Governors of Connecticut
Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut
People from Plainville, Connecticut
People from Ashford, Connecticut
Republican Party governors of Connecticut
Presidents pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate
American Episcopalians
Military personnel from Connecticut
Businesspeople from Connecticut