Samuel Edwin Merwin, Jr. (August 31, 1831 – March 5, 1907), was an American

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 ...

who was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1889 to 1893.Brief Descriptions of Connecticut State Agencies, Lieutenant Governor
.

Early life

Merwin was born in Brookfield, Connecticut on August 31, 1831, the son of Samuel Edwin Merwin Sr. and Ruby (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

Nearing) Merwin.

Career

He received his early education in the district school and then from a private tutor. By the age of 16, he moved to

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

. He served as a clerk in a store for three years, then went into business with his father. Later, he became president of the New Haven and Yale National Banks. He was a commanding officer of a company known as the "New Haven Grays" in the U.S. Army during the U.S. Civil War.

Political career

In 1872, Merwin became a member of the

Connecticut State 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. Sena ...

for the 4th district,The Political Graveyard, Index to Politicians: Merwin.
/ref> as the first Republican ever from that district He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1884. He was elected

Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut The following is a list of lieutenant governors of the State of Connecticut. Lieutenant governors of the State of Connecticut, 1776–present Notes References ;Constitutions * * * ;Specific External linksOfficial website of the L ...

in November 1888, and served from January 10, 1889, while Morgan Bulkeley was the governor. In the election of 1890, Merwin defeated Bulkeley to the nomination for Republican candidate in the gubernatorial election. His opponent received a majority of less than 100 votes, and the election was contested. There was a deadlock for two years, until the next election, in which Bulkeley still served as governor. Merwin continued serving as lieutenant governor during those years. Merwin was the Republican candidate for governor in the election of 1892 as well, and aspired to become the candidate in 1894 too. However, in 1892, the gubernatorial election was won by Democrat Luzon Buritt Morris, and in 1894, Owen Vincent Coffin was the Republican candidate and won the election.

Personal life

Merwin died at his residence in

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

on March 5, 1907, after an illness of three years.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merwin, Samuel E. Military personnel from Connecticut 1831 births 1907 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut Connecticut Adjutant Generals Connecticut state senators People from Brookfield, Connecticut 19th-century American politicians