Samuel Turell Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Samuel Turell Armstrong was a U.S. political figure. Born in 1784 in Dorchester, Massachusetts
, he was a bookseller in Boston
, and among other works published a stereotype
edition of Scott's family Bible, which was widely circulated.
Orphaned at the age of thirteen, Samuel Armstrong attended public school and worked as a printer's apprentice in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He operated his own printing business and became a Deacon of the Old South Church
, where he fortuitously discovered the original manuscript of the third volume of Governor John Winthrop's History of New England.
Mr. Armstrong entered politics as a Representative in Massachusetts General Court, serving in that body from 1822–1823 and in 1828-1829. He was elected Lieutenant Governor serving from 1833, until Governor John Davis
' resignation to leave for the U.S. Senate in 1835. He served as the Governor of Massachusetts
between 1835 and 1836.
Because Whig
party leader, Daniel Webster
supported Edward Everett
for the governorship, when Armstrong ran for reelection he lost badly to both Everett and perennial gubernatorial candidate Marcus Morton
. Armstrong continued in his successful printing business, being elected Mayor of Boston in 1836 and to the Massachusetts Senate in 1839
He died in 1850 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, he was a bookseller in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and among other works published a stereotype
Stereotype (printing)
In printing, a stereotype, also known as a cliché, stereoplate or simply a stereo, was originally a "solid plate or type-metal, cast from a papier-mâché or plaster mould taken from the surface of a forme of type" used for printing instead of the original...
edition of Scott's family Bible, which was widely circulated.
Orphaned at the age of thirteen, Samuel Armstrong attended public school and worked as a printer's apprentice in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He operated his own printing business and became a Deacon of the Old South Church
Old South Meeting House
The Old South Meeting House , in the Downtown Crossing area of Boston, Massachusetts, gained fame as the organizing point for the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. 5,000 colonists gathered at the Meeting House, the largest building in Boston at the time.-Church :The church, with its 56 m ...
, where he fortuitously discovered the original manuscript of the third volume of Governor John Winthrop's History of New England.
Mr. Armstrong entered politics as a Representative in Massachusetts General Court, serving in that body from 1822–1823 and in 1828-1829. He was elected Lieutenant Governor serving from 1833, until Governor John Davis
John Davis (Massachusetts Governor)
John Davis was an American lawyer, businessman and politician.-Early life:John Davis was born in Northborough, Massachusetts...
' resignation to leave for the U.S. Senate in 1835. He served as the Governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
between 1835 and 1836.
Because Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
party leader, Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
supported Edward Everett
Edward Everett
Edward Everett was an American politician and educator from Massachusetts. Everett, a Whig, served as U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator, the 15th Governor of Massachusetts, Minister to Great Britain, and United States Secretary of State...
for the governorship, when Armstrong ran for reelection he lost badly to both Everett and perennial gubernatorial candidate Marcus Morton
Marcus Morton
Marcus Morton was a lawyer, jurist, and politician from Taunton, Massachusetts. He represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and served two terms as 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts, as well as a portion of an unexpired term in 1825, as Acting Governor.Morton...
. Armstrong continued in his successful printing business, being elected Mayor of Boston in 1836 and to the Massachusetts Senate in 1839
He died in 1850 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Further reading
- Rollo G. Silver. Belcher & Armstrong Set up Shop: 1805. Studies in Bibliography, Vol. 4, (1951/1952), pp. 201–204