Governor of Maine. The son of US Senator Reuel Williams, he graduated from Harvard University in 1834, studied at Nathan Dane's law school, and became an attorney in Augusta. Originally a Democrat, he broke with the party because he opposed slavery and joined the Republican party when it was formed in the mid 1850s. He was elected to the Maine Senate in 1856 and was serving as its President in February, 1857 when Hannibal Hamlin resigned to accept election to the US Senate. Williams then succeeded to the governorship and served until January, 1858. He declined to run for a full term because he disagreed with the state Republican party's advocacy of Prohibition, and returned to practicing law. In 1862 he was appointed a Justice of the state Supreme Court, but declined. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as a Republican from 1864 to 1866. In 1873 he was a successful independent candidate for the Maine House and in 1877 he was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor. Williams was also involved in several business ventures, and with his father and Senator Lot Morrill he was an original incorporator of the Union Mutual Insurance Company.
Governor of Maine. The son of US Senator Reuel Williams, he graduated from Harvard University in 1834, studied at Nathan Dane's law school, and became an attorney in Augusta. Originally a Democrat, he broke with the party because he opposed slavery and joined the Republican party when it was formed in the mid 1850s. He was elected to the Maine Senate in 1856 and was serving as its President in February, 1857 when Hannibal Hamlin resigned to accept election to the US Senate. Williams then succeeded to the governorship and served until January, 1858. He declined to run for a full term because he disagreed with the state Republican party's advocacy of Prohibition, and returned to practicing law. In 1862 he was appointed a Justice of the state Supreme Court, but declined. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as a Republican from 1864 to 1866. In 1873 he was a successful independent candidate for the Maine House and in 1877 he was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor. Williams was also involved in several business ventures, and with his father and Senator Lot Morrill he was an original incorporator of the Union Mutual Insurance Company.
Bio by: Bill McKern
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Williams memorials in:
Advertisement
