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John Albion Andrew
Birth: 5-31-1818
Death: 10-30-1867
Biography
John Albion Andrew was born in Winslow, Maine and obtained his law degree from Bowdoin College in 1840. Andrew committed his life and career to advancing and defending social justice issues, including the abolition of slavery and legal protections for the formerly enslaved and those who worked on their behalf. Following John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry, Andrew helped organize legal aid for Brown. In 1859, Andrew served in the Massachusetts legislature and won the Governorship in 1860, serving in that post until 1865. His leadership helped Massachusetts prepare for the Civil War and he organized one of the first African American regiments, the 54th Massachusetts. Known as the great “Civil War Governor” and abolitionist who opposed the Fugitive Slave Law, he was one of the first governors to send troops to defend Washington, DC, in 1861. Andrew married Eliza Jones Hersey, of Hingham, Massachusetts, on December 24, 1848. The couple had five children. Andrew died suddenly at age 49 of a stroke and is buried in Hingham Cemetery, Massachusetts.
Letter References
Letter from Charles Sumner to Frances Miller Seward, September 11, 1860
Letter from Cornelia Richardson to Frederick William Seward, April 28, 1871
Citations
John Albion Andrew was born in Winslow, Maine and obtained his law degree from Bowdoin College in 1840. Andrew committed his life and career to advancing and defending social justice issues, including the abolition of slavery and legal protections for the formerly enslaved and those who worked on their behalf. Following John Brown’s 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry, Andrew helped organize legal aid for Brown. In 1859, Andrew served in the Massachusetts legislature and won the Governorship in 1860, serving in that post until 1865. His leadership helped Massachusetts prepare for the Civil War and he organized one of the first African American regiments, the 54th Massachusetts. Known as the great “Civil War Governor” and abolitionist who opposed the Fugitive Slave Law, he was one of the first governors to send troops to defend Washington, DC, in 1861. Andrew married Eliza Jones Hersey, of Hingham, Massachusetts, on December 24, 1848. The couple had five children. Andrew died suddenly at age 49 of a stroke and is buried in Hingham Cemetery, Massachusetts.