Alexander H. Holley

Alexander Hamilton Holley ( born August 12, 1804 in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, † October 2, 1887 ) was an American politician and governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut. He was a member of the Whig party.

Early years and political rise

Alexander Hamilton Holley attended the public schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. Then he went into his father's business and in 1854 president of the Holley Manufacturing Company, a position which he retained throughout his life. He was also director and president of the Salisbury Iron Bank, and director of the Connecticut Western Railroad. Thereafter he joined the Connecticut militia and rose to over all ranks for the Division inspector. He decided in 1844 to go into politics and was there at the time as a delegate to the Whig National Convention. Ten years later, in 1854, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut.

Governor of Connecticut

Holley was elected in 1857 to the Governor of Connecticut. During his tenure, the Supreme Court decided the Dred Scott case (see Dred Scott v. Sandford ), which both the legislature and the governor, criticized and cited as democratic pro- slave scheming. Holley's administration also recommended the edition for just getting naturalized, for a year to wait before they should be entitled to vote. Holley was not nominated again, and retired from public service.

He died on October 2, 1887 and was buried in the cemetery of Salisbury.