Morgan Bulkeley

Morgan Bulkeley, born on December twenty-sixth, eighteen thirty-seven, in East Haddam, Connecticut, was a multifaceted American politician, businessman, and sports executive. He was the son of Judge Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley, a distinguished lawyer and businessman who became the first president of the Aetna Life Insurance Company. After moving to Hartford for his education, Bulkeley embarked on a career that would see him involved in various sectors, including a brief stint in the American Civil War.

In the wake of his father's passing in eighteen seventy-two, Bulkeley returned to Hartford, where he ascended to the role of bank president and joined the board of Aetna, eventually becoming its president in eighteen seventy-nine. His foray into the world of baseball began when he was appointed president of the Hartford Dark Blues, leading to his election as the first president of the National League in eighteen seventy-six, despite his limited experience in the sport.

Bulkeley's political career flourished as he served on the Hartford Common Council and was elected mayor of Hartford in eighteen eighty, a position he held for four consecutive terms. His political journey culminated in his election as Governor of Connecticut in eighteen eighty-nine. Although he was not renominated by the Republicans, he served a second term due to legislative disputes over the election results in eighteen ninety. This unusual circumstance led to his nickname, 'the Crowbar Governor,' after he famously forced entry into the State House when locked out.

After leaving the governorship in eighteen ninety-three, Bulkeley continued his public service as a U.S. senator from Connecticut from nineteen oh-five to nineteen eleven. In his later years, he remained active in civic and philanthropic endeavors. Following his death in nineteen twenty-two, his legacy was honored in Hartford, where several structures, including a bridge and a high school, were named in his memory.