American politician
James E. English
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In office
November 27, 1875 – May 17, 1876
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Appointed by
| Charles Roberts Ingersoll
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Preceded by
| Orris S. Ferry
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Succeeded by
| William H. Barnum
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In office
May 4, 1870 ? May 16, 1871
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Lieutenant
| Julius Hotchkiss
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Preceded by
| Marshall Jewell
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Succeeded by
| Marshall Jewell
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In office
May 1, 1867 ? May 5, 1869
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Lieutenant
| Ephraim H. Hyde
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Preceded by
| Joseph R. Hawley
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Succeeded by
| Marshall Jewell
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In office
March 4, 1861 ? March 3, 1865
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Preceded by
| John Woodruff
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Succeeded by
| Samuel L. Warner
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In office
1856?1858
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In office
1855
1872
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Born
| James Edward English
March 13, 1812
New Haven, Connecticut
, U.S.
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Died
| March 2, 1890
(1890-03-02)
(aged 77)
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
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Political party
| Democratic
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Spouse(s)
| -Caroline A. Fowler English, Anna Robinson Morris English
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Children
| 4
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Profession
| Politician, banker,
lumberman
, manufacturer
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James Edward English
(March 13, 1812 – March 2, 1890) was a
United States Representative
and later
U.S. Senator
from
Connecticut
, and
Governor of Connecticut
.
Early life and education
[
edit
]
English was born in
New Haven, Connecticut
, and attended the common schools. An apprentice carpenter at the age of 16, he became a successful businessman, establishing the English and Welch Lumber Company, and restructuring the New Haven Clock Company into one of the largest clock manufacturers.
[1]
He was twice married, to Caroline A. Fowler and to Anna Robinson Morris. He had four children.
Career
[
edit
]
English engaged in the
lumber
business, banking, and manufacturing. He was a member of the New Haven board of
selectmen
from 1847 to 1861, and a member of the common council in 1848 and 1849. He was a member of the
Connecticut House of Representatives
in 1855 and of the
Connecticut Senate
from 1856 to 1858, and was an unsuccessful candidate for
lieutenant governor
in 1860.
English was elected as a
Democrat
to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1861, to March 3, 1865.
[2]
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1864.
He left his ill wife to vote at the U.S. Capitol, where, despite being a Democrat, he voted in favor of the
Thirteenth Amendment
abolishing slavery in 1864. His "aye" prompted applause "and the tide turned." He later remarked that voting for the Amendment ruined his standing among Democrats, but he thought it the right thing to do, saying "I suppose I am politically ruined, but that day was the happiest of my life."
[3]
However, his reservation was not to be, as he had a fairly successful career afterwards.
Unsuccessful in his 1866 gubernatorial bid, English was elected Connecticut's 26th governor on April 1, 1867,
[4]
serving from May 1, 1867, to May 5, 1869. He was
elected again in 1868
. He lost his
reelection in 1869
, but was
elected as governor again in 1870
and served from May 4, 1870, to May 16, 1871. During his tenure, an argument between the railroad and shipping industries was settled with the approval for construction of two new bridges. English ran again for
reelection in 1871
, and won the popular vote, but a canvassing committee found the election was fraudulent with stolen votes and erroneous totals, and awarded the governorship to Marshall Jewell.
English was elected again in 1872 to serve in the Connecticut House of Representatives. He was appointed as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Orris S. Ferry
and served from November 27, 1875, to May 17, 1876, when a successor was elected.
[5]
An unsuccessful candidate for election in 1876 to fill the vacancy, English resumed his manufacturing and commercial activities.
In popular culture
[
edit
]
- In
Steven Spielberg
's 2012
Lincoln
film, both English and
Augustus Brandegee
, his abolitionist Republican colleague from Connecticut, are given two fictional names and are both shown, erroneously, to have voted against the amendment.
[6]
Death
[
edit
]
English died in New Haven March 2, 1890 (age 77 years, 354 days), and is interred at
Evergreen Cemetery
, New Haven, Connecticut.
[7]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
This article incorporates
public domain material
from the
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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