Representative Samuel Dickinson Hubbard

Samuel Dickinson Hubbard (August 10, 1799 – October 8, 1855) was a U.S. representative from Connecticut and the 15th U.S. postmaster general. A member of the Whig Party, he served two terms in the United States House of Representatives and later held a cabinet post under President Millard Fillmore, participating in national affairs during a period of growing sectional tension in the United States.

Hubbard was born on August 10, 1799, in Middletown, Connecticut. Raised in a New England community shaped by commerce and early industrial development, he pursued a classical education that prepared him for professional and public life. He attended Yale College, where he studied the traditional classical curriculum, and graduated in 1819. His Yale education placed him among the region’s educated elite and provided the foundation for his subsequent legal and business careers.

After completing his studies, Hubbard read law and was admitted to the bar. He practiced law from 1823 to 1837, building a professional reputation in Connecticut. During these years he became familiar with the legal and commercial issues of a state undergoing economic change, experience that would later inform both his business ventures and his legislative work. His legal practice coincided with the early stirrings of industrialization in Connecticut, and he soon moved into manufacturing and entrepreneurial activity.

In 1824, Hubbard joined with Samuel Russell to found the Russell Manufacturing Company in Middletown. Although he continued in law for more than a decade, his involvement in this enterprise marked a significant shift toward manufacturing and industrial development. The firm became an important local manufacturer, reflecting the broader transformation of Connecticut’s economy from mercantile and agrarian pursuits to textile and related industries. Hubbard’s dual experience in law and manufacturing positioned him as a figure who bridged the professional, commercial, and emerging industrial classes of his state.

Hubbard later entered politics as a member of the Whig Party, which drew much of its support from commercial and professional men in New England. In 1844 he was elected from Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district to the Twenty-ninth Congress and was subsequently reelected to the Thirtieth Congress. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1849, both terms as a Whig. During these two terms in office he contributed to the legislative process at a time when Congress was grappling with issues such as territorial expansion, the consequences of the Mexican–American War, and the intensifying national debate over slavery. Representing the interests of his Connecticut constituents, he participated in the democratic process during a significant period in American history.

After leaving Congress in 1849, Hubbard returned to private life in Connecticut but remained a respected figure in national Whig circles. On August 31, 1852, President Millard Fillmore appointed him as the 15th United States Postmaster General. He served in that cabinet position from August 31, 1852, to March 7, 1853. As Postmaster General, he oversaw the federal postal system during a period of expanding communication networks, when improvements in transportation and the growth of the nation placed increasing demands on postal administration. His tenure concluded shortly after the end of the Fillmore administration in March 1853.

In recognition of his standing and interests beyond politics and business, Hubbard was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1853. This election reflected his engagement with the intellectual and historical life of the nation, as the Society was a leading institution devoted to the collection and preservation of early American historical materials. In his later years he continued to reside in Middletown, maintaining his connections to the community where he had been born, educated, and had built his professional and business career.

Samuel Dickinson Hubbard died on October 8, 1855, at his home in Middletown, Connecticut, at the age of 55. His career encompassed law, manufacturing, congressional service, and cabinet office, and he remained closely identified with his native state throughout his life.