George N. Briggs

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George Nixon Briggs was a member of the Whig Party and seven-term Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1844 to 1851.

He was born in Adams, Massachusetts on April 12, 1796; when seven years of age moved with his parents to Manchester, Vermont, and, two years later, to White Creek, New York; attended the public schools; moved to Lanesboro, Massachusetts, in 1814; apprenticed to the hatter’s trade; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1818 and commenced practice in Lanesboro; register of deeds for Berkshire County, Massachusetts 1824-1831; elected town clerk in 1824; appointed chairman of the board of commissioners of highways in 1826; elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the twenty-second through the twenty-fourth-Congresses and as a Whig to the twenty-fifth through twenty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1831-March 3, 1843); chairman, Committee on Public Expenditures (Twenty-sixth United States Congress), Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads (Twenty-seventh Congress); was not a candidate for renomination in 1842; moved to Pittsfield in 1843; Governor of Massachusetts 1844-1851; resumed the practice of law in Pittsfield; member of the State constitutional convention in 1853; judge of the court of common pleas 1853-1858; appointed in 1861 as a member of a commission to adjust differences between the United States and New Granada; accidentally killed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on September 11, 1861; interment in the Pittsfield Cemetery.

[edit] Sources

Richards, William Carey. Great in goodness: A memoir of George N. Briggs, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, from 1844-1851. Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 1866. Reprint, New York, Sheldon and Company (1867).
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Official Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Biography

Preceded by Henry W. Dwight	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th congressional district 1831 – 1833	Succeeded by William Jackson
Preceded by George Grennell, Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1843	Succeeded by Julius Rockwell
Preceded by Marcus Morton	Governor of Massachusetts January, 1844 – January 11, 1851	Succeeded by George S. Boutwell

	Governors of Massachusetts
Colony	Endecott • Winthrop • T. Dudley • Haynes • Vane • Winthrop • T. Dudley • Bellingham • Winthrop • Endecott • T. Dudley • Winthrop • Endecott • T. Dudley • Endecott • Bellingham • Endecott • Bellingham • Leverett • Bradstreet
Dominion	J. Dudley • Andros • Bradstreet
Province	W. Phips • Stoughton • Coote • Stoughton • Governor's Council • J. Dudley • Tailer • Shute • Dummer • Burnet • Dummer • Tailer • Belcher • Shirley • S. Phips • Shirley • S. Phips • Pownall • Hutchinson • Bernard • Hutchinson • Gage
Commonwealth	Hancock • Cushing • Bowdoin • Hancock • Adams • Sumner • Gill • Governor's Council • Strong • Sullivan • Lincoln, Sr. • Gore • Gerry • Strong • Brooks • Eustis • Morton • Lincoln, Jr. • Davis • Armstrong • Everett • Morton • Davis • Morton • Briggs • Boutwell • Clifford • Washburn • Gardner • Banks • Andrew • Bullock • Claflin • Washburn • Talbot • Gaston • Rice • Talbot • Long • Butler • Robinson • Ames • Brackett • Russell • Greenhalge • Wolcott • Crane • Bates • Douglas • Guild • Draper • Foss • Walsh • McCall • Coolidge • Cox • Fuller • Allen • Ely • Curley • Hurley • Saltonstall • Tobin • Bradford • Dever • Herter • Furcolo • Volpe • Peabody • Volpe • Sargent • Dukakis • King • Dukakis • Weld • Cellucci • Swift • Romney