Alvan T. Fuller | |
|---|---|
 Fuller circa 1920 | |
| 50th Governor of Massachusetts | |
| In office January 8, 1925 – January 3, 1929 | |
| Lieutenant | Frank G. Allen |
| Preceded by | Channing H. Cox |
| Succeeded by | Frank G. Allen |
| 48th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts | |
| In office January 6, 1921 – January 8, 1925 | |
| Governor | Channing H. Cox |
| Preceded by | Channing H. Cox |
| Succeeded by | Frank G. Allen |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th district | |
| In office March 4, 1917 – January 5, 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Ernest W. Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Charles L. Underhill |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office 1914–1917 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alvan Tufts Fuller February 27, 1878 Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | April 30, 1958 (aged 80) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican Progressive |
| Spouse | Viola Theresa Davenport |
| Children | 4, including Peter D. Fuller |
| Profession | Motor Car Dealer |
Alvan Tufts Fuller (February 27, 1878 – April 30, 1958) was an American businessman, politician, art collector, and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He opened one of the first automobile dealerships in Massachusetts, which in 1920 was recognized as "the world's most successful auto dealership",[1] and made him one of the state's wealthiest men. Politically a Progressive Republican, he was elected a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1916, and served as a United States representative from 1917 to 1921.
From 1925 to 1929 Fuller was the 50th governor of Massachusetts, continuing the fiscally conservative and socially moderate policies of his predecessors. In 1927 he was enveloped in the international controversy surrounding the trial and execution of Sacco and Vanzetti, Italian immigrant anarchists convicted of robbery and murder. Fuller's handling of the affair, in which both domestic and international sources sought clemency for the two, effectively ended his political career.
Fuller was an avid collector of art, some of which has since been donated to museums in eastern New England, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He founded the Fuller Foundation, a charity that supports a variety of causes in eastern Massachusetts and the seacoast region of New Hampshire. Fuller Gardens, founded by him in North Hampton, New Hampshire, are now open to the public.[1]