President of the Massachusetts Senate

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President of the Massachusetts Senate
Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts.svg
Seal of the Senate of Massachusetts
Karen E. Spilka.jpg
Incumbent
Karen Spilka
since July 26, 2018
Government of Massachusetts
Status Presiding Officer
Member of General Court
Residence None official
Seat State House, Boston, Massachusetts
Nominator Majority party of the chamber
AppointerThe Senate
Term length Two Years, no term limit
Constituting instrument Constitution of Massachusetts
Inaugural holder Thomas Cushing
FormationOctober 25, 1780
DeputyPresident Pro Tempore

The president of the Massachusetts Senate is the presiding officer. Unlike the United States Congress, in which the vice president of the United States is the ex officio president of the United States Senate, in Massachusetts, the president of the Senate is elected from and by the senators. The president, therefore, typically comes from the majority party, and the president is then the de facto leader of that party.

Contents

The current president of the Massachusetts Senate, since July 26, 2018, is Karen Spilka, a Democrat from Ashland. Democrats have had a majority in the Senate since 1959. [1] Notable former presidents of the Massachusetts Senate include U.S. president Calvin Coolidge.

List of presidents of the Massachusetts Senate

#PresidentPictureTermPartyNotes
1st Thomas Cushing Thomas Cushing, Member of Continental Congress.jpg October 25, 1780 – November 4, 1780 [2] Cushing was elected as the first president of the Massachusetts Senate, he resigned on November 4, 1780 because he was elected the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. [2]
2nd Jeremiah Powell November 4, 1780 [2] – 1782
3rd Samuel Adams Samuel Adams by John Singleton Copley.jpg 1782–1785
4th Samuel Phillips SamuelPhillips.jpeg 1785–87
1788–1801
1801–02
F
5thSamuel Adams Samuel Adams by John Singleton Copley.jpg 1787–1788
6th David Cobb Gilbert Stuart - General David Cobb (page 229 crop).jpg 1801–02
1802–05
F Served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's at-large congressional seat from March 4, 1793 – March 4, 1795.
7th Harrison Gray Otis Harrison Gray Otis by Chester Harding, 1833, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery - NPG-7700056A 2.jpg 1805–06 F
8th John Bacon 1806–1807DR
9th Samuel Dana 1807–1808DR
10thHarrison Gray Otis Harrison Gray Otis by Chester Harding, 1833, oil on canvas, from the National Portrait Gallery - NPG-7700056A 2.jpg 1808–1811 F
11thSamuel Dana1811–1813DR
12th John Phillips John Phillips First Mayor of Boston.png 1813–1823Served as the first Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts.
13th Nathaniel Silsbee Nathaniel Silsbee.png 1823–1826 F
14th John Mills 1826–1828
15th Sherman Leland Sherman Leland Massachusetts Senate President.png 1828–1829
16th Samuel Lathrop 1829–1831 F
17th James Fowler 1830–1831
18th Leverett Saltonstall Leverett Saltonstall 1783-1845 - Chester Harding.jpg 1831 W
19th William Thorndike 1832
20th Benjamin T. Pickman 1833–1835
21st George Bliss 1835
22nd Horace Mann Southworth and Hawes - Horace Mann (Zeno Fotografie) (cropped).jpg 1836–1837 W
23rd Myron Lawrence 1838–1839 W
24th Daniel P. King Daniel Putnam King (1801-1850).jpg 1840–1841 W
25th Josiah Quincy Jr. Josiah Quincy Jr.png 1842 W
26th Phineas W. Leland Phineas W. Leland.png 1843 D
27th Frederick Robinson 1843 D
28th Josiah Quincy Jr. Josiah Quincy Jr.png 1844 W
29th Levi Lincoln Jr. LLincolnJr.jpg 1845 DR
30th William B. Calhoun William Barron Calhoun.png 1846–1847 W
31st Zeno Scudder ZenoScudder.jpg 1848 W
32nd Joseph M. Bell 1849 W
33rd Marshall Pinckney Wilder Marshall Pinckney Wilder (politician).png 1850 W
34th Henry Wilson Henry Wilson, VP of the United States.jpg 1851–1852 FS Was the 18th Vice President of the United States (1873–1875) and a Senator from Massachusetts (1855–1873).
35th Charles Henry Warren 1853 Whig
36th Charles Edward Cook 1854
37th Henry W. Benchley Henry Wetherby Benchley.png 1855A
38th Elihu C. Baker 1856A
39th Charles W. Upham Charles Wentworth Upham.png 1857–1858 W Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th district from March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1855.
40th Charles Abner Phelps 1859–1860 R [3] Also served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1856.
41st William Claflin William Claflin - Brady-Handy.jpg 1861 R Also served as the 27th Governor of Massachusetts from 1869–1872, and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877–1881.
42nd John Henry Clifford JohnHClifford Photograph.jpg 1862 R Also served as the Massachusetts Attorney General and, from 1853 to 1854, as the 21st Governor of Massachusetts.
43rd Jonathan E. Field 1863–1865R
44th Joseph Adams Pond 1866 – October 28, 1867Died in office at age 40.
45th George O. Brastow George Oliver Brastow.png 1868–1869Also served as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council, and as the first Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
46th Robert Carter Pitman Robert Carter Pitman.png 1869Resigned
47th George O. Brastow George Oliver Brastow.png 1869Also served as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council, and as the first Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
48th Horace Hopkins Coolidge Horace Hopkins Coolidge.png 1870–1872
49th George B. Loring George B. Loring - Brady-Handy.jpg 1873–1876 R
50th John B. D. Cogswell John Bear Doane Cogswell.png 1877–1879R
51st Robert R. Bishop Robert Roberts Bishop.png 1880–1882 R
52nd George Glover Crocker George Glover Crocker.png 1883R
53rd George A. Bruce George Anson Bruce.png 1884 R Also served as the fourth Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts.
54th Albert E. Pillsbury Albert E. Pillsbury.png 1885–1886 R Served as the Attorney General of Massachusetts from 1891 to 1894. Drafted original bylaws of the NAACP.
55th Halsey J. Boardman Halsey J. Boardman.png 1887–1888 R
56th Harris C. Hartwell Harris C. Hartwell.png 1889 R
57th Henry H. Sprague Henry Harrison Sprague.png 1890–1891R
58th Alfred S. Pinkerton 1890 Alfred Stamm Pinkerton senator Massachusetts.jpg 1892–1893 R
59th William M. Butler Senator Wm. M. Butler of Mass., (11-28-24) LCCN2016849799 (cropped).jpg 1894–1895 R Also served as United States Senator from Massachusetts from November 13, 1924 to December 6, 1926 and was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1924 to 1928.
60th George P. Lawrence George P Lawrence Massachusetts Congressman circa 1908.png 1896–1897 R
61st George E. Smith George Edwin Smith.png 1898–1900 R
62nd Rufus A. Soule Rufus A. Soule.png 1901–1902 R
63rd George R. Jones George R. Jones Massachusetts Senate President.png 1903–1904R
64th William F. Dana [4] William F. Dana (President of the Mass. Senate).png 1905–1906R
65th William D. Chapple William D. Chapple.png 1907–1908R
66th Allen T. Treadway Allen Towner Treadway.png 1909–1911RServed as a member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1913 until January 3, 1945.
67th Levi H. Greenwood Levi H Greeenwood Massachusetts Senate President 1912-1913.png 1912–1913R
68th Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge cph.3g10777 (cropped).jpg 1914–1915RLater served as the 30th President of the United States (1923–1929).
69th Henry Gordon Wells Henry Gordon Wells.png 1916–1918R
70th Edwin T. McKnight Edwin T. McKnight.png 1919–1920R
71st Frank G. Allen Frank G Allen.png 1921–1924RAlso was the 51st Governor of Massachusetts.
72nd Wellington Wells Wellington Wells.png 1925–1928R
73rd Gaspar G. Bacon Gaspar Griswold Bacon, Sr in his passport application.jpg 1929–1932R
74th Erland F. Fish Erland F. Fish.png 1933–1934R
75th James G. Moran James G. Moran.png 1935–1936RElected by 19 Democrats and 1 Republican. [5]
76th Samuel H. Wragg 1923 Samuel Wragg Massachusetts House of Representatives.png 1937–1938R
77th Joseph R. Cotton 1923 Joseph Russell Cotton Massachusetts House of Representatives.png 1939–1940R
78th Angier L. Goodwin 1935 Angier Goodwin senator Massachusetts.png 1941R
79th Jarvis Hunt 1943 Jarvis Hunt senator Massachusetts.png 1942–1944R
80th Arthur W. Coolidge 1945 Arthur Coolidge senator Massachusetts.jpg 1945–1946R
81st Donald W. Nicholson Donald W. Nicholson (Massachusetts Congressman).jpg 1947R
82nd Harris S. Richardson 1945 Harris Sawyer Richardson senator Massachusetts.jpg 1948R
83rd Chester A. Dolan Jr. Chesteradolan.jpg 1949D
Harris S. Richardson 1945 Harris Sawyer Richardson senator Massachusetts.jpg 1950R
84th Richard I. Furbush 1953 Richard Furbush senator Massachusetts.jpg 1951–1956R
85th Newland H. Holmes 1953 Newland Holmes senator Massachusetts.jpg 1957–1958R
86th John E. Powers 1939 John Powers Massachusetts House of Representatives (1).png 1959–1964D
87th Maurice A. Donahue Maurice Donahue 1960s Massachsuetts 11191699173.png 1964–1971D
88th Kevin B. Harrington 1967 Kevin Brian Harrington senator Massachusetts.jpg 1971–1978D
89th William Bulger Senate President William M. Bulger (9519685196).jpg 1978–1996D
90th Tom Birmingham Tom birmingham (1).jpg 1996–2003D
91st Robert Travaglini Robert Travaglini 1980s Massachusetts USA 9501943933.png 2003–2007D
92nd Therese Murray 2005 Therese Murray.png 2007–2015D
93rd Stan Rosenberg Senator Stan Rosenberg.JPG 2015–2017D
94th Harriette L. Chandler
Harriette L. Chandler.jpg
2017–2018D
95th Karen Spilka
Karen E. Spilka.jpg
2018–D

A = American, D = Democratic, R = Republican, W = Whig

See also

Notes

  1. Boston Globe, September 21, 1988
  2. 1 2 3 Massachusetts General Court - Senate (January 1, 1879), The Journal of the Senate for the year 1879, Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts General Court - Senate, p. 5
  3. Brown, Edgar M. (1859), Annual Register of the Executive and Legislative Department of the Government of Massachusetts, 1859, Boston, Massachusetts: Alfred Mudge & Son Printers, p. 4.
  4. "William Franklin Dana". New England Historical and Genealogical Register. 1922.
  5. Merrill, John (January 11, 1935). "Moran Wins in Senate, Faints". The Boston Daily Globe.

Bibliography

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