William Field (April 12, 1790 – September 20, 1878) 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 46th lieutenant governor of Connecticut from 1855 to 1856.

Early life

Field was born on April 12, 1790 in

Pomfret, Connecticut Pomfret is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,266 in 2020 according to the 2020 United States Census. The land was purchased from Native Americans in 1686 (the ...

, to William Field and Lydia Colwell. He was descended from

Roger Williams Roger Williams (21 September 1603between 27 January and 15 March 1683) was an English-born New England Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation ...

, the founder of

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

on his maternal side. In his early life Field worked at forging machinery. He served in the U.S. military during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

in a

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...

, company. He married Martha Pinney in 1820; they had five children and resided in

Stafford, Connecticut Stafford is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States, settled in 1719. The population was 11,472 at the 2020 United States Census. The community consists of the downtown area of Stafford Springs and the more rural villages of Crysta ...

. Her death in 1835 left him a widower.

Political career

In 1835, Field was nominated on the

Jacksonian Democrat Jacksonian democracy was a 19th-century political philosophy in the United States that expanded suffrage to most white men over the age of 21, and restructured a number of federal institutions. Originating with the seventh U.S. president, Andr ...

ticket to the office of

Connecticut state comptroller The State Comptroller is the chief fiscal guardian of the State of Connecticut. The duties and responsibilities of the state comptroller include, among other things, overseeing state accounting, preparing state financial reports, paying and administ ...

. He was elected and served from 1836-1838. He was elected a member of Connecticut state senate, representing the 14th District from 1849-50. In 1855, Field was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut as a

Free Soil Party The Free Soil Party was a short-lived coalition political party in the United States active from 1848 to 1854, when it merged into the Republican Party. The party was largely focused on the single issue of opposing the expansion of slavery into ...

candidate. Field died on September 20, 1878 in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Field, William 1790 births 1878 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut American abolitionists Connecticut Jacksonians American military personnel of the War of 1812 Connecticut Comptrollers People from Pomfret, Connecticut Connecticut Free Soilers