Leverett Saltonstall

Leverett Saltonstall was an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of Massachusetts from 1939 to 1945 and as a United States Senator from 1945 to 1967. He was a member of the Republican Party and was known for his moderate views and his support for Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. Saltonstall was a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club and the Porcellian Club. He was also a descendant of Sir Richard Saltonstall, one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

● Early Life and Education

Leverett Saltonstall was born in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to Richard Middlecott Saltonstall and Eleanor Brooks Saltonstall. He was raised in a prominent Boston family and was educated at Milton Academy and Harvard University, where he graduated in 1914. Saltonstall then attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1917, and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1918. He served in the United States Navy during World War I and was stationed on the USS Utah. After the war, Saltonstall practiced law in Boston and became involved in Massachusetts politics, serving in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1923 to 1926 and in the Massachusetts State Senate from 1927 to 1936.

● Career

Saltonstall's career in politics began in the 1920s, when he served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts State Senate. He was a member of the Republican Party and was known for his moderate views and his support for Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. In 1936, Saltonstall was elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, serving under Governor Charles F. Hurley. He became the Governor of Massachusetts in 1939, after Hurley's death, and served in that position until 1945. During his tenure as governor, Saltonstall supported the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the Works Progress Administration, and he also played a key role in the development of the Massachusetts State Police.

● Governor of Massachusetts

As the Governor of Massachusetts, Saltonstall focused on issues such as unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, and public health. He also supported the National Recovery Administration and the Public Works Administration, and he worked to improve the state's infrastructure, including the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike. Saltonstall was a strong supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, and he played a key role in the implementation of New Deal policies in Massachusetts. He was also a member of the National Governors Association and served as the president of the organization from 1943 to 1944.

● United States Senate

In 1944, Saltonstall was elected to the United States Senate, where he served from 1945 to 1967. He was a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and he played a key role in the development of the National Security Act of 1947. Saltonstall was a strong supporter of the United States military and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and he worked to improve the nation's defense and foreign policy. He was also a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and served as the chairman of the committee from 1953 to 1955.

● Personal Life

Saltonstall was married to Alice Wesselhoeft Saltonstall and had six children. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and was involved in various charitable organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Boy Scouts of America. Saltonstall was also a member of the Harvard Club of Boston and the Union Club of Boston, and he served as the president of the Massachusetts Historical Society from 1948 to 1951.

● Legacy

Leverett Saltonstall's legacy is that of a moderate Republican who supported the New Deal policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He played a key role in the development of the National Security Act of 1947 and was a strong supporter of the United States military and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Saltonstall was also a champion of social welfare programs, including unemployment insurance and old-age pensions. He was awarded the Legion of Merit in 1946 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1967. Saltonstall's papers are housed at the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Library of Congress, and his legacy continues to be studied by historians and scholars today, including those at Harvard University and the University of Massachusetts Boston. Category:United States Senators from Massachusetts