Nathaniel M. Haskell
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Mervin Haskell (September 27, 1912 – February 8, 1983) was a Maine
Republican
politician. Haskell served as the 62nd Governor of Maine
for 25 hours: from 10:00am January 6, 1953 to 11:00am January 7, 1953.
His parents died when he was two years old and his sister, Amelia, and her husband, Van Stevens, moved the family to Portland
. Haskell graduated from Deering High School
. Determined to be a lawyer, he graduated from the Peabody Law School
in 1934 and was admitted to the Maine bar
. For the remainder of his life he maintained his legal office in downtown Portland.
In 1943, Haskell was elected to the Maine House of Representatives
and was reelected in 1945, 1947 and 1949 when he served as Speaker of the House. Elected to the Maine Senate
in 1951, he was reelected in 1953 and in that same year elected President of the Senate
.
Haskell's brief term of Governor was the result of constitutional succession in the wake of the 1952 elections. The outgoing Governor, Frederick G. Payne
resigned early to begin preparing to take his new seat in the United States Senate
. With Maine having no lieutenant governor
, the President of the Senate is next in the line of succession. At the time of Payne's resignation, Burton M. Cross
became Governor by virtue of holding that office. However, Cross had also been elected Governor; his elected term was scheduled to begin on January 7, 1953. At 10:00am on January 6, 1953, Cross's term as Senate President (and therefore Governor) expired. Haskell, as the newly elected president, became Acting Governor
until the inaugural ceremony was held at 11:00am the next day.
Haskell continued as President for the 1953 regular session only, resigning prior to the start of the special session held later that year to accept the appointment as Probate Judge of Cumberland County
.
He died on February 8, 1983 in Portland.
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
Republican
Maine Republican Party
The Maine Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine on August 7, 1854. The state Chairman is Charles M. Webster....
politician. Haskell served as the 62nd Governor of Maine
Governor of Maine
The governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
for 25 hours: from 10:00am January 6, 1953 to 11:00am January 7, 1953.
Biography
Haskell was born on September 27, 1912 in Pittsfield, Maine.His parents died when he was two years old and his sister, Amelia, and her husband, Van Stevens, moved the family to Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. Haskell graduated from Deering High School
Deering High School
Deering High School is a public high school in Portland, Maine which educates grades 9–12. The school is part of the Portland Public Schools district. It is named after the Deering Center neighborhood it serves...
. Determined to be a lawyer, he graduated from the Peabody Law School
University of Maine School of Law
The University of Maine School of Law is located in Portland, Maine and is Maine's only law school. It is a freestanding institution within the University of Maine System. In practice, it is administered as a unit of the University of Southern Maine, which provides the law school's support staff...
in 1934 and was admitted to the Maine bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
. For the remainder of his life he maintained his legal office in downtown Portland.
In 1943, Haskell was elected to the Maine House of Representatives
Maine House of Representatives
The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...
and was reelected in 1945, 1947 and 1949 when he served as Speaker of the House. Elected to the Maine Senate
Maine Senate
The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
in 1951, he was reelected in 1953 and in that same year elected President of the Senate
President of the Senate
The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for example, the President of the Senate of Nigeria is second in line...
.
Haskell's brief term of Governor was the result of constitutional succession in the wake of the 1952 elections. The outgoing Governor, Frederick G. Payne
Frederick G. Payne
Frederick George Payne was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Maine. He was born in Lewiston, Maine....
resigned early to begin preparing to take his new seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. With Maine having no lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor (United States)
In the United States, 43 of the 50 states have a separate, full-time office of lieutenant governor. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when he or she is absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated...
, the President of the Senate is next in the line of succession. At the time of Payne's resignation, Burton M. Cross
Burton M. Cross
Burton Melvin Cross was a Maine Republican politician. Cross was Maine's 61st and 63rd Governor....
became Governor by virtue of holding that office. However, Cross had also been elected Governor; his elected term was scheduled to begin on January 7, 1953. At 10:00am on January 6, 1953, Cross's term as Senate President (and therefore Governor) expired. Haskell, as the newly elected president, became Acting Governor
Acting governor
An acting governor is a constitutional position created in some U.S. states when the governor dies in office or resigns. In some states, the governor may also be declared to be incapacitated and unable to function for various reasons, including illness and absence from the state for more than a...
until the inaugural ceremony was held at 11:00am the next day.
Haskell continued as President for the 1953 regular session only, resigning prior to the start of the special session held later that year to accept the appointment as Probate Judge of Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
.
He died on February 8, 1983 in Portland.