William B. Washburn

William Barrett Washburn
Washburn in circa 1860–1865
United States Senator from Massachusetts
In office April 17, 1874 – March 3, 1875
Preceded by	Charles Sumner
Succeeded by	Henry L. Dawes
28th Governor of Massachusetts
In office January 4, 1872 – April 17, 1874
Lieutenant	Joseph Tucker Thomas Talbot
Preceded by	William Claflin
Succeeded by	Thomas Talbot as Acting Governor William Gaston
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th district
In office March 4, 1863 – December 5, 1871
Preceded by	Amasa Walker
Succeeded by	Alvah Crocker
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1853–1855
Member of the Massachusetts Senate
In office 1850
Personal details
Born	(1820-01-31)January 31, 1820 Winchendon, Massachusetts, US
Died	October 5, 1887(1887-10-05) (aged 67) Springfield, Massachusetts, US
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Yale College
Signature

William Barrett Washburn (January 31, 1820 – October 5, 1887) was an American businessman and politician from Massachusetts. Washburn served several terms in the United States House of Representatives (1863–71) and as the 28th governor of Massachusetts from 1872 to 1874, when he won election to the United States Senate in a special election to succeed the recently deceased Charles Sumner. A moderate Republican, Washburn only partially supported the Radical Republican agenda during the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era that followed.

A Yale graduate, Washburn parlayed early business success in furniture manufacture into banking and railroads, based in the Connecticut River valley town of Greenfield. He was a major proponent of railroads in northern and western Massachusetts, sitting on the board of the Connecticut River Railroad for many years, and playing an oversight role in the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. He has been described as a latter-day "Connecticut River God" because of his role as a leading regional businessman and politician.^[1]