William B. Washburn

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William Barrett Washburn (January 31, 1820–October 5, 1887) was an American politician from Massachusetts, serving in the United States House of Representatives and as Governor of Massachusetts. Born in 1820 in Winchendon, Massachusetts, he was the son of Asa and Phoebe (Whitney) Washburn and brother of Nelson Phinehas Washburn.

He graduated from Yale College in 1844, where he was a member of Skull & Bones; was employed as a store clerk 1844-1847; engaged in manufacturing pursuits in Erving, Massachusetts, 1847-1857; became a member of the Massachusetts Senate 1850; a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1853-1855; moved to Greenfield in 1858 and engaged in banking; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-eighth and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1863 to December 5, 1871, when then he resigned, having been elected Governor of Massachusetts.

He was chairman, Committee on Claims (Forty-first Congress); Governor of Massachusetts 1872-1874, when he resigned, having been elected as a U.S Senator; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles Sumner and served from April 17, 1874 to March 3, 1875; he was not a candidate for reelection.

He was president of the Greenfield National Bank; he was a trustee of Yale College, the Massachusetts Agricultural College, and Smith College, of which he was also a benefactor, and a member of the board of overseers of Amherst College from 1864-77. Harvard University conferred the degree of EL. D. upon him in 1872.

He was also a member of the American board of the American Home Missionary Society, and the American Missionary Association Residuary legatees, leaving to each society about $50,000 in his will. He was also a benefactor of the Greenfield Public Library. He died in Springfield, Hampden County, Mass., on October 5, 1887 while attending a session of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), which he was also a member ; a director of the Connecticut River Railroad.

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• Commonwealth of Massachusetts Official Governor Biography

Preceded by: Amasa Walker	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th congressional district March 4, 1863 – December 5, 1871	Succeeded by: Alvah Crocker
Preceded by: William Claflin	Governor of Massachusetts January 4, 1872 – April 29, 1874	Succeeded by: Thomas Talbot
Preceded by: Charles Sumner	United States Senator (Class 1) from Massachusetts April 17, 1874 – March 3, 1875 Served alongside: George S. Boutwell	Succeeded by: Henry L. Dawes

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