Walter Harriman (governor)

Walter Harriman (April 8, 1817 – July 25, 1884) was an American preacher, merchant, soldier, and politician who served two terms as the Governor of New Hampshire. He was a brevet brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Early life and career
Harriman was born in Warner, New Hampshire, where he was raised and educated. He taught school at a number of academies in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey from 1835 through 1840. While teaching, he studied theology and in 1840 joined the Universalist Church. He later preached in Harvard, Massachusetts, and his native Warner.
In 1849, Harriman entered politics as a Democrat and was elected to the New Hampshire state legislature, serving through 1850. The following year, he resigned as a minister and opened a store in Warner, partnering with John S. Pillsbury, a future Governor of Minnesota and industrialist. In 1853, Harriman returned to politics and served as State...