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William Claflin
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William Claflin
William Claflin (March 6, 1818 – January 5, 1905) was an American politician, industrialist, and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He served as the 27th governor of Massachusetts from 1869 to 1872 and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877 to 1881. He also served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1868 to 1872, serving as a moderating force between the Radical and moderate wings of the Republican Party. His name is given to Claflin University in South Carolina, a historically black college founded with funding from him and his father.
Claflin was educated at Brown University and worked in his father's shoe manufacturing business before becoming a partner in it. An opponent of slavery, he helped establish the state's Free Soil Party before dominating the state's Republican Party establishment in the 1860s. He supported a number of social reforms, including increased property and voting rights for women, and he was the state's first governor to actively support full women's suffrage. He supported many charitable causes and promoted the development of the village Newtonville, where his country estate was located.
William Claflin was born on March 6, 1818, in Milford, Massachusetts, to Lee and Sarah Watkins (Adams) Claflin. Lee Claflin was a self-made proprietor of a tannery and shoe factory in Milford, and a politically active abolitionist. William was educated first in the local schools and then at Milford Academy, before he enrolled in Brown University in 1833. His mother died in 1834 and his health was poor, so he left school and entered his father's business. After three years, with his health not improving, he traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, where from 1838 to 1844 he worked in the wholesale leather goods business. He then returned to Massachusetts after his health improved, where he rejoined the family business and settled in Hopkinton.
Claflin's father had begun his shoe manufacturing in partnership with Nathan Parker Coburn, and William joined their partnership, forming a business that lasted into the 1890s. They expanded the business Lee Claflin founded, eventually building one of New England's largest boot factories in South Framingham in 1882. Claflin and Coburn would remain in active partnership until 1878, when Claflin withdrew from active participation, and their partnership was finally dissolved at the end of 1891 with Coburn's retirement. The company assets, including plants in Framingham, Hopkinton, and Milford, were then taken over by younger partners.
Claflin followed his father in both politics and his methodist religion, opposing the expansion of slavery and promoting other social reforms. He was a member of the "Bird Club", a political organization formed by businessman Francis W. Bird, whose members dominated much of the politics of the state between the 1850s and 1870s. Its members were predominantly wealthy businessmen who favored abolition and engaged in philanthropic social reforms. In 1848 Claflin helped found the Free Soil Party in Massachusetts, under whose banner he won election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives that year. He served from 1849 to 1853, when the Know Nothings (who he refused to join) swept away the old parties. He became active in 1854 and 1855 in the founding of the state Republican Party, and served as its state chairman for a number of years. He was elected to the state senate in 1859 as a Republican, and became Senate President in 1861. He developed a close political association and friendship with fellow Free Soiler and Republican Henry Wilson, and was one of the dominant forces in the state Republican Party establishment in the 1860s.
In 1865 Claflin was elected Lieutenant Governor under Governor Alexander Hamilton Bullock, winning reelection on the same ticket two times. He was elected governor in 1868, and served three terms in that office, defeating John Quincy Adams II each time.
Claflin was the first governor to actively support and promote full women's suffrage. He successfully extended to women greater rights under the law, especially in the areas of divorce and contract law. He advocated prison reform, creating a Board of Prison Commissioners, and established the state's first board of public health. In a bid to retain labor support threatened by the nascent Labor Reform Party, the Republican legislature created a bureau of labor statistics, the first such body in the nation.
Claflin opposed state funding support for the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, vetoing a loan for that railroad, while the state was otherwise lending financial support to the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. The veto was a politically costly move, which, combined with the loss of labor votes to the Labor Reform Party, resulted in the lowest margin of victory for a Republican to date in governor's races in the 1870 election. As a result of this poor showing, Claflin was perceived as a weak candidate for reelection, and refused to stand in 1871; he also did not attend the state nominating convention. The Republican nomination went to the eventual election victor, William B. Washburn. Washburn's election signalled an end to the influence of the Bird Club as a unifying force in state Republican politics.
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William Claflin
William Claflin (March 6, 1818 – January 5, 1905) was an American politician, industrialist, and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He served as the 27th governor of Massachusetts from 1869 to 1872 and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877 to 1881. He also served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1868 to 1872, serving as a moderating force between the Radical and moderate wings of the Republican Party. His name is given to Claflin University in South Carolina, a historically black college founded with funding from him and his father.
Claflin was educated at Brown University and worked in his father's shoe manufacturing business before becoming a partner in it. An opponent of slavery, he helped establish the state's Free Soil Party before dominating the state's Republican Party establishment in the 1860s. He supported a number of social reforms, including increased property and voting rights for women, and he was the state's first governor to actively support full women's suffrage. He supported many charitable causes and promoted the development of the village Newtonville, where his country estate was located.
William Claflin was born on March 6, 1818, in Milford, Massachusetts, to Lee and Sarah Watkins (Adams) Claflin. Lee Claflin was a self-made proprietor of a tannery and shoe factory in Milford, and a politically active abolitionist. William was educated first in the local schools and then at Milford Academy, before he enrolled in Brown University in 1833. His mother died in 1834 and his health was poor, so he left school and entered his father's business. After three years, with his health not improving, he traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, where from 1838 to 1844 he worked in the wholesale leather goods business. He then returned to Massachusetts after his health improved, where he rejoined the family business and settled in Hopkinton.
Claflin's father had begun his shoe manufacturing in partnership with Nathan Parker Coburn, and William joined their partnership, forming a business that lasted into the 1890s. They expanded the business Lee Claflin founded, eventually building one of New England's largest boot factories in South Framingham in 1882. Claflin and Coburn would remain in active partnership until 1878, when Claflin withdrew from active participation, and their partnership was finally dissolved at the end of 1891 with Coburn's retirement. The company assets, including plants in Framingham, Hopkinton, and Milford, were then taken over by younger partners.
Claflin followed his father in both politics and his methodist religion, opposing the expansion of slavery and promoting other social reforms. He was a member of the "Bird Club", a political organization formed by businessman Francis W. Bird, whose members dominated much of the politics of the state between the 1850s and 1870s. Its members were predominantly wealthy businessmen who favored abolition and engaged in philanthropic social reforms. In 1848 Claflin helped found the Free Soil Party in Massachusetts, under whose banner he won election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives that year. He served from 1849 to 1853, when the Know Nothings (who he refused to join) swept away the old parties. He became active in 1854 and 1855 in the founding of the state Republican Party, and served as its state chairman for a number of years. He was elected to the state senate in 1859 as a Republican, and became Senate President in 1861. He developed a close political association and friendship with fellow Free Soiler and Republican Henry Wilson, and was one of the dominant forces in the state Republican Party establishment in the 1860s.
In 1865 Claflin was elected Lieutenant Governor under Governor Alexander Hamilton Bullock, winning reelection on the same ticket two times. He was elected governor in 1868, and served three terms in that office, defeating John Quincy Adams II each time.
Claflin was the first governor to actively support and promote full women's suffrage. He successfully extended to women greater rights under the law, especially in the areas of divorce and contract law. He advocated prison reform, creating a Board of Prison Commissioners, and established the state's first board of public health. In a bid to retain labor support threatened by the nascent Labor Reform Party, the Republican legislature created a bureau of labor statistics, the first such body in the nation.
Claflin opposed state funding support for the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, vetoing a loan for that railroad, while the state was otherwise lending financial support to the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. The veto was a politically costly move, which, combined with the loss of labor votes to the Labor Reform Party, resulted in the lowest margin of victory for a Republican to date in governor's races in the 1870 election. As a result of this poor showing, Claflin was perceived as a weak candidate for reelection, and refused to stand in 1871; he also did not attend the state nominating convention. The Republican nomination went to the eventual election victor, William B. Washburn. Washburn's election signalled an end to the influence of the Bird Club as a unifying force in state Republican politics.
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