Henry Waggaman Edwards was an American lawyer, a Democrat, and the 27th and 29th Governor of the U. S. state of Connecticut.
Background
Henry Waggaman Edwards was born in New Haven. His grandfather was the famous New England divine, Jonathan Edwards; his father, Pierpont, was a lawyer of repute, a member of the Continental Congress, and federal judge for the district of Connecticut; his mother, Frances Ogden, was a New Jersey woman.
Education
He was graduated from Princeton with the class of 1797 and attended the Litchfield Law School in Connecticut.
Career
After attending the Litchfield Law School in Connecticut, was admitted to the bar and began practise in New Haven.
Shortly after 1800 he became active in the Republican party.
He was associated with the local section known as Tolerationists, whose primary purpose was to secure a new state constitution.
In 1819 he was elected to Congress on the Republican ticket.
He remained in the House until 1823, when he was appointed by Governor Wolcott to the Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elijah Boardman.
At the next regular election Edwards was chosen to the Senate in his own right, remaining in office until 1827.
Upon his return to Connecticut, he was for two years a member of the state Senate, and in 1830 was speaker of the House of Representatives.
He was first chosen governor in 1833.
In the election of 1834 Edwards was defeated by Samuel A. Foot, but the following year he was successful, being then reelected regularly until 1838.
The Hinsdale Act of 1837 was in line with the governor’s desires.
Achievements
Politics
Tolerationist
Membership
associated with the local section known as Tolerationists
member of Congress, Senate, speaker of the House of Representatives
Personality
In character, Edwards was determined and straightforward.
Although a member of a distinguished family, he was hardly a man of brilliance.
As a politician, he did not rise above the level of other men of his day.
Connections
Little is known about his family life.
A son, Henry P. Edwards, took up the legal profession and became a judge of the supreme court of New York State.