CHAPTER XVI. WILLIAM ALFRED BUCKINGHAM. The Buckinghams an Original Puritan Family-Rev. Thomas BuckinghamGov. Buckingham's Father and Mother-Lebanon, the Birthplace of Five Governors-Gov. Buckingham's Education-He Teaches School-His Natural Executive Tendency-His Business Career-His Extreme Punctuality in Payments-His Business and Religious Character-His Interest in the Churches and Schools-His Benefactions in those Directions-His Political Course-He Accepts Municipal but not Legislative Offices-A Member of the Peace Conference-He Himself Equips the First State Militia in the War-His Zealous Co-operation with the Government-Sends Gen. Aiken to Washington-The Isolation of that City from the North-Gov. Buckingham's Policy for the War; Letter to Mr. Lincoln-His Views on Emancipation; Letter to Mr. LincolnAnecdote of the Temperance Governor's Staff. IN writing the history of men of our time, we feel that we are only making a selection of a few from among many. We have given the character of one State Governor-we could give many more, but must confine ourselves to only two examples. William Alfred Buckingham, for eight years Governor of Connecticut, and under whose administration the State passed through the war, may be held a worthy representative of the wisdom, energy and patriotism of our state magistracy in the time of the great trials. 1 Gov. Buckingham is of the strictest old Puritan stock. The first of the name in this country was Thomas Buckingham, one of the colony that planted New Haven, Conn., but who soon removed to Milford in that State, where he was one of the "Seven Pil lars" of the church there, as originally organized. His son, Rev. Thos. Buckingham, was minister of Saybrook, one of the founders of Yale College, and one of the moderators of the Synod that framed the "Saybrook Platform." Through this branch of the family, this Governor of Connecticut is descended, his father having been born in Saybrook. William Alfred Buckingham, the son of Samuel and Joanna (Matson) Buckingham, was born in Lebanon, Conn., May 28, 1804. His father was a thrifty farmer, a deacon in the church, a man of remarkably sound judgment and common sense, and a public spirited man, abounding in hospitality. His mother was one of those women in whom the strong qualities of the Puritan stock come to a flowering and fruitage of a celestial quality, a rare union of strength and soundShe had a mother's ambition for her children, but always directed to the very highest things. "Whatever else you are, I want you to be Christians," was one of her daily household sayings. Her memory is cherished in the records of many words and deeds of love and beneficence, written not with ink and pen, "but in fleshy tables of the heart," in all the region where she lived. ness. The little town of Lebanon, like many others of the smaller New England towns, had a fine Academy, which enjoyed the culture of some of those strong and spicy old New England school masters, that were a generation worthy of more praise and celebration than the world knows of. For that reason perhaps, this little town of Lebanon has given to the State of Connecticut five Governors, who have held that State office |