| During its long
history, the New Hampshire Senate has had several high-profile
members. Three served in the Continental Congress from 1774 to
1788 — Woodbury
Langdon, and his younger brother, John Langdon, and Matthew
Thornton. Thornton signed the Declaration of Independence while
John Langdon went on to serve in the U.S. Senate from 1789 to
1801.
Today, the state Senate comprises
24 members. In 1784, when the body was established, the Senate
consisted of 12 members, each of whom was elected for a one-year
term. Woodbury Langdon, John Langdon, Joseph Gilman, John McClary,
Timothy Walker, John Wentworth, Ebenezer Smith, Francis Blood,
Matthew Thornton, Simeon Olcott, Enoch Hale and Moses Dow were
members of the state Senate's inaugural class.
The first Senate president was
Woodbury Langdon who served in that capacity from 1784 to 1785.
The first female member of the
New Hampshire Senate was Bristol, N.H., Republican E. Maude
Ferguson of District 2 who served from 1931 to 1933.
The first woman elected Senate
president was Republican Vesta Roy. She represented District 22,
which at the time of her service comprised the communities of
Salem, Atkinson, Pelham and Windham. Roy also enjoys the
distinction of having been the state's first female chief
executive. She ascended from the
Senate presidency to the position of governor
in 1982 following the death of then-Gov. Hugh Gallen, whose
passing occurred eight days prior to the end of his term. From
Dec. 30, 1982, to Jan. 6, 1983,
Roy served as governor
until John H. Sununu, who had defeated Gallen that
November, officially assumed the office.
The sitting state senator with
the most years of service is given the title "dean of the
Senate." Laurier Lamontagne and Clesson "Junie"
Blaisdell share the longevity record, each having achieved nearly
30 years of service. Lamontagne served from 1955 to 1984, and
Blaisdell served from 1965 to 1966, and again from 1973 to 1999.
Blaisdell died in office in 1999 in the midst of his 15th term; at
the time he also held the position of Senate president. Today,
Sen. Sheila Roberge is dean of the Senate. The Bedford Republican
was first elected to the body in November 1984.
On Oct. 27, 1951, a wedding was
held in the Senate chamber when Sen. Winifred Julia Wild of
Jackson married Sen. George Wesley Tarlson of Laconia. More than
2,000 well-wishers covered the Statehouse grounds to cheer on the
newlyweds. A reception was held just across the street at the old
Eagle Hotel.
Norris Cotton learned a lot about
politics in the state Senate, but not as a voting member. He
served as clerk of the Senate from 1927 to 1929. The Republican
from Lebanon went on to serve in the U.S. Senate from 1954 to
1975. The federal building in Manchester is named in his honor.
The Senate has also seen a U.S.
senator become a state senator when Gordon Humphrey retired from
Washington in 1990. The Republican went on to serve District 17
for one term, from 1991 to 1992.
Before becoming New Hampshire’s
first elected female governor in 1996, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen
served Senate District 21 for three terms, from 1991 to 1996.
Another state senator who went on
to higher office is Republican Charlie Bass. From 1989 to 1992,
Bass served Senate District 11. In 1994, he won the state’s 2nd
Congressional District seat. He was re-elected to the U.S. House
in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. |