Bert M. Fernald

Bert Manfred Fernald ( born April 3, 1858 in Poland, Maine; † August 23, 1926 ) was an American politician and from 1909 to 1911 governor of Maine. Between 1916 and 1926 he represented his state in the U.S. Senate.

Early years

Bert Fernald attended Hebron Academy and a business school in Boston. After school, he worked in various professions. So he worked among other things as a teacher, in agriculture and in the phone business.

Political career

Between 1897 and 1899 Fernald was a member of the House of Representatives of Maine and 1900-1901 he was a member of the State Senate. In 1908 he was elected as a candidate of his Republican Party as the new governor of Maine. He joined his two-year term of office on 6 January 1909.

Under his government, the first environmental protection laws were passed in Maine. Especially for this purpose a commission was established which focused on water conservation and the protection of forests. In the capital, Augusta, a new Capitol was built. After an attempt at re-election in 1910 had failed, he had to give up his post in January 1911. But he was still politically active.

After the death of Senator Edwin Burleigh Bert Fernald was elected in 1916 to succeed him in the U.S. Congress. In the congressional elections of 1918 and 1924 he was confirmed in his mandate. He was from 1916 until his death in August 1926 Member of the U.S. Senate in Washington. He was chairman of the Committee on public properties.

Bert Fernald was married to Anne Adeline Keene, with whom he had two children.

Pictures of Bert M. Fernald

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