Richard D. Hubbard
Encyclopedia
Richard Dudley Hubbard (September 7, 1818 – February 28, 1884) was a United States Representative and the 48th Governor of Connecticut. Born in Berlin, Connecticut
, he was orphaned while young, he pursued preparatory studies at East Hartford
and graduated from Yale College in 1839, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1842 and commenced practice in Hartford
. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
in 1842, 1855, and again in 1858, and was prosecuting attorney for Hartford County
from 1846 to 1868.
A lifelong Democrat, he nevertheless supported the Federal government throughout the Civil War.
Hubbard was elected as a Democrat
to the Fortieth Congress
, holding office from March 4, 1867 to March 3, 1869. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1868 and resumed the practice of law in Hartford. In November 1876 he was elected Governor of Connecticut, the first to be elected to a two-year term. He successfully advocated for legislation that altered the property rights of women, "making husband and wife equal in property rights." He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1878. He engaged in the practice of law from 1877 until his death in Hartford; interment was in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
A statue of Hubbard is on the east lawn of the Connecticut State Capitol building in Hartford Connecticut with a plaque that describes him as "Lawyer, Orator, Stateman."
Berlin, Connecticut
Berlin is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,866 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and served by the Amtrak station of the same name...
, he was orphaned while young, he pursued preparatory studies at East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and graduated from Yale College in 1839, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1842 and commenced practice in Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
Connecticut House of Representatives
The Connecticut House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with each constituency containing nearly 22,600 residents...
in 1842, 1855, and again in 1858, and was prosecuting attorney for Hartford County
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the US state of Connecticut. The 2010 Census records show that the county population is at 894,014 making it the second most populated county in Connecticut....
from 1846 to 1868.
A lifelong Democrat, he nevertheless supported the Federal government throughout the Civil War.
Hubbard was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Fortieth Congress
40th United States Congress
The Fortieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1867 to March 4, 1869, during the third and fourth...
, holding office from March 4, 1867 to March 3, 1869. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1868 and resumed the practice of law in Hartford. In November 1876 he was elected Governor of Connecticut, the first to be elected to a two-year term. He successfully advocated for legislation that altered the property rights of women, "making husband and wife equal in property rights." He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1878. He engaged in the practice of law from 1877 until his death in Hartford; interment was in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
A statue of Hubbard is on the east lawn of the Connecticut State Capitol building in Hartford Connecticut with a plaque that describes him as "Lawyer, Orator, Stateman."
Sources
- Dwight Loomis and J. Gilbert Calhoun, The Judicial and Civil History of Connecticut (Boston: Boston History Company, 1895)
- Frederick Calvin Norton, The Governors of Connecticut (New Haven, CT: Connecticut Magazine Company, 1905), available online
- Robert SobelRobert SobelRobert Sobel was an American professor of history at Hofstra University, and a well-known and prolific writer of business histories.- Biography :...
and John Raimo, Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Greenwood Press, 1988, ISBN 0-313-28093-2