Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Governor Matthew Harvey 1830-1831. Harvey (1781-1866) was born at Sutton (NH). He was educated at Boscawen (NH) and graduated from Dartmouth College (Class of 1806). Harvey read law (with John Harris) at Hopkinton (NH), and he began a law practice at Hopkinton in 1809. He married [Margaret Rowe, of Newburyport (MA)] in 1811.

Harvey, a Democrat, began his state political career as a State representative (1816-1820; Speaker of the House, 1817-1820). He was elected to two consecutive terms in the U. S. House of Representatives (1821-1825), then was elected to the State Senate (1825-1828; President of the Senate, 1826-1828). Harvey served on the Executive Council (1828-1830), then won the 1830 gubernatorial election.

Governor Harvey was concerned about imprisonment for debt, but it took another decade for the legislature to deal with this. He also spotlighted overcrowded prison conditions, and he urged that a small amount of money be given to prisoners upon their release from prison.

Harvey resigned as governor February 28,1831, to become Judge of the District Court for New Hampshire. He held this position until his death, and moved to Concord (NH) in 1850. He was an early trustee of Hopkinton Academy (founded 1827), and an early president (1832-1834) of The New Hampshire Historical Society (founded 1823).

Note: Harvey's unexpected resignation led to Senate President Joseph M. Harper's becoming Governor. A portrait of Harper is located on the State House Third Floor, with portraits of other legislators, because Harper was not popularly elected.

Location: State House, Second Floor, Corridor, West Face, Beginning at Room 208
Portrait by A. Tenney, undated but at State House before 1872