Nathaniel M. Haskell
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Nathaniel Mervin Haskell (September 27, 1912 in Pittsfield, Maine; –February 7, 1983 in Portland, Maine) was a former Maine Republican politician. Haskell holds the distinction of having served as Governor of Maine for 25 hours: from 10:00am January 6, 1953 to 11:00am January 7, 1953.
When he was only two years old his parents died and his sister, Amelia, and her husband Van Stevens, took the family to Portland, Maine. Haskell graduated from Deering High School. Determined to be a lawyer, he graduated from the Peabody Law School in 1934 and was admitted to the Maine bar. For the remainder of his life he maintained his legal office in downtown Portland. Shortly after his death, His son Robert's wife, Anne, gave birth to a set of triplets, Elizabeth, Michael, and Andrew Haskell.
In 1943, Haskell was elected to the Maine House of Representatives and was reelected in 1945, 1947 and 1949 when he served as Speaker of the House. Elected to the Maine Senate in 1951, he was reelected in 1953 and in that same year elected President of the Senate.
Haskell's very brief term of Governor was the result of constitutional succession in the wake of the 1952 elections. The outgoing Governor, Frederick G. Payne resigned early to begin preparing to take his new seat in the United States Senate. With Maine having no lieutenant governor, the President of the Senate is next in the line of succession. At the time of Payne's resignation, Burton M. Cross became Governor by virtue of holding that office. However, Cross had also been elected Governor; his elected term was scheduled to begin on January 7, 1953. At 10:00am on January 6, 1953, Cross' term as Senate President (and therefore Governor) expired. Haskell, as the newly elected president, became Acting Governor until the inaugural ceremony was held at 11:00am the next day.
Haskell continued as President for the 1953 regular session only, resigning prior to the start of the special session held later that year to accept the appointment as Probate Judge of Cumberland County.
| Preceded by Burton M. Cross |
Governor of Maine 1953-1953 |
Succeeded by Burton M. Cross |
| Governors of Maine |  |
|---|---|
| W. King • Williamson • Ames • Parris • Lincoln • Cutler • Hall • Hunton • Smith • Dunlap • Kent • Fairfield • Kent • Fairfield • Kavanagh • Anderson • Dana • Hubbard • Crosby • A. Morrill • Wells • Hamlin • Williams • L. Morrill • Washburn • Coburn • Cony • Chamberlain • Perham • Dingley • Connor • Garcelon • Davis • Plaisted • Robie • Bodwell • Marble • Burleigh • Cleaves • Powers • Hill • Cobb • Fernald • F. Plaisted • Haines • O. Curtis • Milliken • Parkhurst • Baxter • Brewster • Gardiner • Brann • Barrows • Sewall • Hildreth • Payne • N. Haskell • Cross • Muskie • R. Haskell • Clauson • Reed • K. Curtis • Longley • Brennan • McKernan • A. King • Baldacci |
