Everett J. Lake

Everett John Lake
67th Governor of Connecticut
In office January 5, 1921 – January 3, 1923
Lieutenant	Charles A. Templeton
Preceded by	Marcus H. Holcomb
Succeeded by	Charles A. Templeton
52nd Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
In office January 9, 1907 – January 6, 1909
Governor	Rollin S. Woodruff
Preceded by	Rollin S. Woodruff
Succeeded by	Frank B. Weeks
Personal details
Born	(1871-02-08)February 8, 1871 Woodstock, Connecticut
Died	September 16, 1948(1948-09-16) (aged 77) Hartford, Connecticut
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Eva Louise Sykes Lake, Barbara G. Lincoln Lake
Children	Harold S. Lake Marjorie S. Lake
Alma mater	Harvard University
Profession	politician
Religion	Congregationalist

Everett J. Lake (February 8, 1871 – September 16, 1948) was an American politician and the 67th Governor of Connecticut.

Early life

Lake was born in Woodstock, Connecticut on February 8, 1871 son of Thomas A. Lake and Martha A. Cockings Lake. He studied at Worcester Polytechnic and graduated in 1890. He then attended Harvard University, where he played for the Harvard Crimson football team. He received consensus All-American football honors in 1891. He graduated from Harvard in 1892.

Lake married three times. His first wife was Eva Louise Sykes, whom he married on September 4, 1895, and with whom he had a son and a daughter, Marjorie S. Lake. Eva Lake died on November 25, 1935, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her body was brought back to Connecticut for burial in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford.

After Eva’s death, Lake married Mrs. Elizabeth (Keeney) Gordon, the widow of Lewis E. Gordon, on December 24, 1935. She died on August 28, 1936, in Whitefield, New Hampshire, and is also buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery.^[1] Lake's third wife was Barbara Grace Lincoln, a prominent business woman and director of the Sage-Allen store in Hartford. Surviving him by twenty years, Barbara died June 16, 1968, and is buried beside Lake in Ashford.^[2]

Career

Lake started his career by working for the Hartford Lumber Company, his father's business. He was the president of Hartford Lumber Company from 1900 to 1939. A Republican, Lake became a Representative from Hartford in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1903 to 1905. He also served as a member of the Connecticut State Senate from 1905 to 1907.

Lake became the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Rollin S. Woodruff in 1907. He held that position until 1909. He was a delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut in 1912. At the 1920 state convention he supported the nomination of William H. Hall, a close friend. When the delegates became deadlocked over whom to select for governor, Lake was nominated. Not only did he win his party's support, but he also received more votes at the polls than any gubernatorial candidate had ever obtained before, defeating Democratic candidate Rollin U. Tyler by 110,880 votes.^[1]

Elected in 1920, Lake became the Governor of Connecticut. During his term, a bill was enacted that prohibited child laborers from working more than eight hours a day. A legislation also was constituted that withheld employment certificates from children who were deficient in required schooling.^[3]

When Lake left office on January 3, 1923, he continued to work with the Hartford Lumber Company as well as participate in many civic and private organizations. His interest in football did not diminish and he continued to attend Yale-Harvard games. In 1939, he retired as the president of the Hartford Lumber Company after 39 years.^[3]

Death

Lake died in Hartford, Connecticut on September 16, 1948, aged 77 years, 221 days. He is interred at Westford Village Cemetery, Westford, Windham County, Connecticut.^[4]

References

Further reading

• Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. Greenwood Press, 1988. ISBN 0-313-28093-2

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Everett J. Lake.

• The Political Graveyard
• Everett J. Lake at Find a Grave
• National Governors Association.

Governors of Connecticut Trumbull, Sr. M. Griswold Huntington Wolcott, Sr. Trumbull Jr. Treadwall R. Griswold Smith Wolcott Jr. Tomlinson Peters Edwards Foot Edwards Ellsworth Cleveland R. S. Baldwin Toucey Bissell J. Trumbull Seymour Pond Dutton Minor Holley Buckingham Hawley English Jewell English Jewell Ingersoll Hubbard Andrews Bigelow Waller Harrison P. Lounsbury Bulkeley Morris Coffin Cooke G. Lounsbury McLean Chamberlain Roberts Woodruff Lilley Weeks S. Baldwin Holcomb Lake Templeton Bingham J. H. Trumbull Cross R. E. Baldwin Hurley R. E. Baldwin Snow McConaughy Shannon Bowles Lodge Ribicoff Dempsey Meskill Grasso O'Neill Weicker Rowland Rell Malloy