Polwhit

Whitman's in Politics

By Roy Whitman

There have been only a few prominent Whitman's involved in politics and the political life of our nation. Early in the nineteenth century, there were two prominent Whitman men from New England who served in Congress. These men were Lemuel Whitman (1780-1841) and Ezekiel Whitman (1776-1866). In the twentieth century, there were two Whitman governors, one a Whitman man by the name of Charles Seymour Whitman, Governor of New York during the Woodrow Wilson Administration, the other a Whitman woman by the name of Christine Todd Whitman, Governor of New Jersey, currently in her second consecutive term. Below is some biographical information about these four extraordinary Whitman's

Lemuel Whitman, born June 8, 1780 in Farmington, Connecticut. Graduated from Yale College in 1800. Taught in a seminary in Bermuda in 1801. Studied law at Litchfield Law School. Admitted to the Connecticut Bar. Appointed judge of the Connecticut Superior Court in 1818. Associate judge of the Hartford County Court 1819-1821. Chief Judge 1821-1823. One of three members chosen to prepare a revision of the statutes of Connecticut in 1821. Member of the Connecticut Senate in 1822. Elected to the Eighteenth Congress (March 4, 1823-March 3, 1825). Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives in 1831 and 1832. Died in Farmington, Connecticut on November 13, 1841.

Ezekiel Whitman, born on March 9, 1776 in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Graduated from Brown University, Providence, R.I. in 1795. Studied law and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, practicing in New Gloucester between 1799-1807 and Portland, Maine between 1807-1852. Unsuccessful candidate to the Tenth Congress in 1806. Elected to Eleventh Congress (March 4, 1809-March 3, 1811) as a Federalist from Massachusetts. Member of the executive council in 1815 and 1816. Elected to Fifteenth and Sixteenth Congresses (March 4, 1817-March 3, 1821). Delegate to the Convention in 1819 that framed the first state constitution for Maine and served from March 4, 1821 to June 1, 1822 when he resigned. Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Maine 1822-1841. Unsuccessful candidate for election in 1838 to the Twenty-Sixth Congress. Served as chief justice of the Massachusetts State Supreme Court 1841-1848. Retired in 1852 and died in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts on August 1, 1866.

Charles Seymour Whitman, born on September 29,. 1868 in Hanover, Connecticut. Republican Governor of New York during Woodrow Wilson Administration, 1915-1919. Died March 29, 1947.

Christine Todd Whitman , born on September 26, 1846. Republican Governor of New Jersey during William Jefferson Clinton Administration, 1994-present.

Contributed to "WHITMANIA!" by Roy Whitman of Scranton, PA.
Roy's web site "My Brother's Tree" is now offline. The web site details the Whitman family along the lines of Valentine Whitman. He has graciously donated his information and transferred it to Whitmania! for safekeeping so that the Whitman data will be located in one place.
Thank you Roy!

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