Morrill, Anson P.

Born: 1803-06-10 Maine

Died: 1887-07-04 Augusta, Maine

Flourished: 1803 to 1887 Maine

Anson P. Morrill, merchant, manufacturer, and public official, was born in Belgrade, Maine. Morrill was educated in the local common schools and worked at a mill when not in school. He was a storekeeper and postmaster first in Dearborn, Maine, and subsequently in North Belgrade. Late in 1834 he moved to East Madison and opened a store. In 1844, Morrill took charge of a failing woolen mill in Reading and reversed its decline, becoming owner of the mill in the process. In politics, he was initially a Democrat, then later a Republican. He was elected as a Democrat to the Maine House of Representatives, and served for one term beginning in 1834. Morrill was sheriff of Somerset County in 1839, and land agent for the state of Maine between 1850 and 1853. In the latter year, he broke with the Democratic Party over the issue of temperance, of which he was a supporter. Morrill ran unsuccessfully for governor of Maine in 1853 on an Independent Democrat and Maine Law ticket. The following year he again ran for governor, this time on a fusion ticket of Whigs, Freesoilers, and temperance supporters. After Morrill earned the most votes, but failed to secure a majority, the election was thrown to the Maine Legislature which confirmed him as governor early in 1855. Within a few months, the coalition that elected Morrill began calling themselves Republicans. Following his one-year term as governor, Morrill ran for reelection and the vote was again sent to the legislature, which selected his Democratic opponent despite Morrill having received a plurality of votes. He then resumed his business career, but continued to be involved in politics, serving as a delegate to the 1856 Republican National Convention, and representing Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863. In religion he was a Universalist. Morrill married Rowena M. Richardson about 1827 and was survived by two children. He was the brother of Lot M. Morrill, who also served as governor of Maine.

Robert E. Moody, “Morrill, Anson Peaslee,” Dictionary of American Biography, ed. by Dumas Malone (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1934), 13:196-97; Robert Sobel and John Raimo, eds., Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978 (Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978), 2:607-8; Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1996 (Alexandria, VA: CQ Staff Directories, 1997), 1553; U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Readfield, Kennebec County, ME, 417; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), Readfield, Kennebec County, ME, 36; Daily Kennebec Journal (Augusta, ME), 6 July 1887, 2:1-3; Portland Daily Press (ME), 6 July 1887, 1:9; Gravestone, Forest Grove Cemetery, Augusta, ME.