Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Wesley Powell (1959-1963). Born Portsmouth; Manchester/Hampton Falls lawyer. In state politics from 1950.

Wesley Powell (1915-1981) attended schools in Portsmouth, graduated from the University of New Hampshire, and got his law degree at Southern Methodist College of Law (1940). He served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Styles Bridges 1940/49, married (Beverly Swain) in 1942, and had military service in the Bomber Command, U.S. Army Air Corps, European Theater of Operations (1943/5). Powell was wounded and hospitalized for fourteen months; he was decorated for bravery.

In 1950 Powell returned to New Hampshire and established a law practice in Manchester and Hampton Falls. He entered the 1950 Republican gubernatorial primary, losing (by 1,310 votes) to U.S. Senator Charles W. Tobey. Encouraged by his showing, Powell ran as an Independent in the 1950 general election but lost.

Powell tried again for the governor's office in 1956, losing in the Republican primary; he won, and won the general election in 1958. He repeated in 1960.

As governor Powell took "the pledge" against broad-based taxes, whether sales tax or income tax. He worked to achieve savings through consolidation of government agencies, and in 1961 he succeeded in revamping the Departments of Safety, Health and Welfare, and Resources and Economic Development. When Powell lost the 1962 Republican primary he endorsed Democrat John King in the general election, on condition that King would preserve his revamping of state agencies, and Powell's changes survive to the present day.

Powell also supported large-scale highway building and state aid to tourism and industry as ways to build the state's population. All these interests continue to be high on the list of any governor's priorities.

Location: State House, Second Floor
Portrait by George Augusta, 1990; Presented 1992