John A. Andrew

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John Albion Andrew was born in Windham, Maine on May 31, 1818. He studied at Bowdoin College and in 1840 set up his first law practice in Boston. In 1848, John A. Andrew married Eliza Hersey of Hingham, Massachusetts, and four of their five children were eventually born here. The Andrew family had houses in Hingham on both Main and Summer Streets. Andrew loved living in Hingham, feeling that it was his true home and was where he belonged.

It was during the 1840s that Andrew became involved in public life. He was a leader of the Massachusetts Free Soil Party in the late 1840s and early 1850s, then became an important early supporter of the Republican Party. During the 1850s he was elected to the office of Massachusetts State Representative where he used that position and his skills as a lawyer to leverage the cause of abolitionism. He opposed the Fugitive Slave Law and became involved in several fugitive slave cases. He was also active in the Boston Vigilance Committee. The members of the Committee were known for raising money to pay for the legal fees of fugitive slaves, as well as to provide them with shelter.

Andrew was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1861 after having been nominated by the largest majority in the history of the Commonwealth and served until 1865. Governor Andrew was highly supportive of preserving the Union and stopping the spread of slavery. One of his first acts as Governor was to place troops in a state of readiness in order to provide aid to the Union, should it become necessary. On April 15^th President Lincoln made an appeal for 75,000 troops to defend the capital. Due to Andrew’s forethought, it was the soldiers from Massachusetts who were the first to arrive and the first to fight in the Civil War.

Continuing his fight for abolitionism, Andrew was an early advocate for the emancipation of slaves during the war. In 1863, after President Lincoln freed the slaves in the rebellious Confederate States of America, Governor Andrew immediately implored the government to allow for the creation of a regiment composed of black soldiers. This had been denied to these men thus far. He was successful, and the famous 54^th Massachusetts Regiment was formed (see the image to the right for more information). As the Civil War drew to a close, Andrew began to voice his opinion that there should be reconciliation with the South rather than severe punishment. Because of these actions, Andrew became one of the most famous of the so-called “war governors.”

After the war, Andrew decided to return to his private law practice so that he would have time to enjoy his family life. Throughout his years living and working in Massachusetts, Andrew was known as a kind man with a strong conscience and a sense of nobility. He died of apoplexy on October 31, 1867 at the age of 49.

Andrew vigorously fought against the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850 and subsequently became involved in several cases of fugitive slave litigation. One such case was that of Anthony Burns, who fled slavery in the south and came to Boston. He was arrested in 1854 and after being put on trial Judge Edward G. Loring ordered his rendition. On May 26, 1854 seven men, including Theodore Parker and Wendell Phillips, unsuccessfully attempted to rescue him. They were accused of inciting a mob by inflammatory speech or action. Andrew successfully defended them and all charges were dropped. Andrew then used his power as a State Representative to have Loring removed from the probate court.

As Governor of Massachusetts during the American Civil War, Andrew petitioned President Lincoln to create a black regiment under the direction of volunteer white officers. Andrew felt that black men fighting in the war would allow for greater assimilation and respect for the black community. He was successful, and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was formed. It was the first black regiment to be formed in the war, and came to be known for its heroism and sacrifice.

"I tell you, that although I believe in the principles of the Republican party as the only sound political faith of to-day, although I believe that the Republican organization is the only one adapted to meet the exigencies of the time....I believe in the religious and political education of our people more than I believe in anything else. I believe in the fitness of my fellow-citizens to accept the responsibilities of whatever power it may please Providence to bestow upon them, and that, whosoever may have possession of a majority of votes, in Massachusetts, at least, we shall always find a faithful, loyal, independent and patriotic people.”

While addressing his fellow Hinghamites during his campaign for governor in 1860, Andrew said, “How dear to my heart are these fields, these hills, these spreading trees, this verdant grass, this sounding shore before you, where, now, for fourteen years, through summer heat, and sometimes through winter storms, I have trod your streets, rambled through your woods, sauntered by your shores, sat by your firesides, and felt the warm pressure of your hands; sometimes teaching your children in the Sunday school, sometimes speaking to my fellow-citizens […].” (Sept. 3, 1860 at Hingham, MA).

In 1869, the body of Governor Andrew was relocated from Mount Auburn Cemetery to Hingham Cemetery. Various Hinghamites began petitioning to have a statue of the governor commissioned for this spot. A statue was finally erected, installed, then dedicated in 1875. The statue is slightly larger than life and there is an unobstructed view of the Civil War memorial in the background. The plot adjacent to the statue contains the remains of the governor, his wife, and other family members.