William L. Hadden was an American politician who was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1943 to 1945.

Early life

William L. Hadden was born in Elmira

Elmira, New York

Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...

, Chemung County, New York, on October 8, 1896. About one year later, he moved to New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...

, and in 1909 the family moved to West Haven

West Haven, Connecticut

West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.-History:...

. He went to public schools in New Haven, West Haven High School and the Fordham University School of Law

Fordham University School of Law

Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...

. He was admitted to the State Bar in 1917. After discharge from military service in 1918, he practiced law. He was also Assistant Clerk of the Town Court of West Haven from 1919 to 1921, Prosecuting Attorney from 1923 to 1927 and judge from 1927 to 1937. From 1939 to 1943 he was Prosecuting Attorney.

Family life

William L. Hadden married Mary McNamara in 1920. They had three children: William L. Hadden Jr., David C. Hadden, and Maryann Hadden Zimmerling. Mary died on December 15, 1981.

Political career

William L. Hadden was a Republican. He represented his home town in the Connecticut General Assembly in the 1939 and 1941 sessions, in the latter session he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and Majority Leader.

He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in November 1942 together with Republican gubernatorial candidate Raymond E. Baldwin

Raymond E. Baldwin

Raymond Earl Baldwin was a United States Senator, the 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut.-Biography:Born in Rye, New York, he moved to Middletown, Connecticut in 1903 and attended the public schools. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown in 1916, and entered Yale University...

. He served for one two-year term from January 6, 1943, but while Baldwin was reelected in 1944, Hadden was not and was replaced with Democrat Charles Wilbert Snow

Charles Wilbert Snow

Charles Wilbert Snow was an American poet, educator and politician and, very briefly, the 75th Governor of Connecticut. He generally went by Wilbert or Bill Snow, formally C. Wilbert Snow.-Biography:...

. Snow would replace Baldwin as governor late in 1946, when Baldwin became a U.S. Senator.

Hadden was appointed Attorney General of Connecticut by Baldwin in 1945, to fill the vacancy caused when Francis A. Pallotti resigned to become a judge. Hadden was then elected Attorney General for a full four year term and served until 1951.

He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1948.