Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Governor Anthony Colby 1846. Colby (1792-1873) was born at New London (NH). After a common school education Colby went into manufacturing. He built a grist mill in town and (1832) established a stage line between Hanover (NH) and Lowell (MA). He was one of the founders of the scythe industry in New Hampshire, an important industry in 19th century agricultural America.

Colby came to prominence in the state militia. Appointed an ensign in the militia in 1814, Colby rose to captain (1819), major, lieutenant colonel and colonel (all 1825), and major general (1837). In 1828 Colby served the first of several terms as a State Representative (served 1828-1832, 1837-1839). He ran unsuccessfully (as a Whig) for the U. S. House of Repre-sentatives, losing in 1833 and 1835. Three times the Whigs nominated Colby for governor; he lost all three races, to the dominant Democrats. In 1846 Colby was again nominated by the Whigs; this time the Democrats faced defections in their ranks and Democrat Jared Williams had to go into a runoff election. Democrat Williams (26,740 votes) lost the race to the Whigs (17,707 votes), who combined with the Independent Democrats (10,379 votes) for Colby's win.

Colby served one year as Governor, during The War With Mexico. Resolutions supporting the War failed in the 1846 legislature, and passed only narrowly in 1847-this at a time when U.S. Senator (and Democrat) Franklin Pierce was raising troops for New Hampshire's 9th Regiment, U. S. Infantry. In the 1847 election for the U.S. Senate, Pierce lost his campaign for another term to John P. Hale, the candidate of the Free Soil Party and the Abolitionist Party.

Colby in retirement endowed Colby Academy (New London, NH). He was for twenty years a Dartmouth College trustee.

Location: State House, Second Floor, Corridor, West Face, Beginning at Room 208
Portrait by U.D. Tenney (1864)