Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the government of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Seal of Massachusetts
Incumbent William F. Galvin since January 1, 1995
Style	His Honor
Term length	Four years
Inaugural holder	John Avery, Jr.
Formation	1780
Website	www.sec.state.ma.us

The Secretary of the Commonwealth oversees the Corporations Division, the Elections Division, the Massachusetts Archives, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Public Records Division, the Securities Division, as well as the State Records Center.

William F. Galvin has held the office since 1995.

List of Secretaries of the Commonwealth (1780 to present)

#	Secretary of the Commonwealth	Years	Party	Electoral/appointed history
1	John Avery, Jr.	January 1, 1780 – June 7, 1806[1]	Pro-Administration/Federalist	Succeeded Samuel Adams, who had been Secretary of the Province of Massachusetts Bay from August 15, 1776 until January 1, 1780. Avery died in office, June 7, 1806.[1]
2	Jonathan L. Austin	1806 – 1808	Democratic-Republican	[data unknown/missing]
3	William Tudor	1808 – 1810	Federalist	[data unknown/missing]
4	Benjamin Homans	1810 – 1812	Democratic-Republican	[data unknown/missing]
5	Alden Bradford	1812 – 1824	Federalist/National Republican	[data unknown/missing]
6	Edward D. Bangs	1824 – 1836	National Republican/Whig	[data unknown/missing]
7	John P. Bigelow	1836 – 1843	Whig	[data unknown/missing]
8	John A. Bolles	1843 – 1844	Whig	[data unknown/missing]
9	John G. Palfrey	1844 – 1848	Whig	[data unknown/missing]
10	William B. Calhoun	January 1848[2] – 1851	Whig[3]	[data unknown/missing]
11	Amasa Walker	1851 – 1853	Whig	[data unknown/missing]
12	Ephraim M. Wright	1853 – 1856	Whig	[data unknown/missing]
13	Francis De Witt	1856 – 1858	Know Nothing	[data unknown/missing]
14	Oliver Warner	1858 – 1876	Republican	[data unknown/missing]
15	Henry B. Pierce	1876 – 1891	Republican	[data unknown/missing]
16	William M. Olin	1891 – April 15, 1911	Republican	Died in office April 15, 1911.
Acting	Isaac H. Edgett	April 15, 1911 – April 28, 1911.[4]	Republican	Edgett, was the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth under William M. Olin. As the First Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Edgett became the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth upon Olin's death. Edgett served as the acting Secretary of the Commonwealth[5] until Albert P. Langtry was elected by the Massachusetts legislature to serve out the remainder of Olin's term.
17	Albert P. Langtry	April 28, 1911[4]	Republican[6]	Elected by the Legislature, on April 26, 1911, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William M. Olin. Langtry assumed the office of Secretary of the Commonwealth on April 28, 1911.[4]
18	Frank J. Donahue	January 15, 1913 – 1915	Democratic[6]	[data unknown/missing]
19	Albert P. Langtry	1915 – 1921	Republican	[data unknown/missing]
20	Frederic W. Cook	1921 – 1949	Republican[7]	[data unknown/missing]
21	Edward J. Cronin	1949 – November 24, 1958	Democratic	Died in office on November 24, 1958.
Acting	J. Henry Goguen	December 1, 1958 – January 20, 1959	Democratic	[data unknown/missing]
22	Joseph D. Ward	January 20, 1959 – 1961	Democratic[8]	[data unknown/missing]
23	Kevin H. White	1961 – December 20, 1967	Democratic	First elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964 to a four-year term after the length of terms was extended. Resigned to become Mayor of Boston.
24	Jack Davoren	1967 – 1974	Democratic	[data unknown/missing]
25	Paul H. Guzzi	1975 – 1978	Democratic	[data unknown/missing]
26	Michael J. Connolly	1979 – 1994	Democratic	[data unknown/missing]
27	William F. Galvin	January 1, 1995 – present	Democratic	[data unknown/missing]

See also

• List of company registers
• Political party strength in Massachusetts

References

1. Roberts, Oliver Ayer (1901), History of the Military company of the Massachusetts, now called the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts 1637-1888. Vol. II - 1738-1821, Boston, MA: Alfred Mudge & Son, Printers, p. 196.
2. Dexter, Franklin Bowditch (1912), Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College With Annals of the College History, Vol. VI September; 1805 - September; 1815, New Haven, Ct: Yale University Press, p. 629.
3. William B. Calhoun at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on October 6, 2007.
4. Boston Daily Globe (April 29, 1911), LANGTRY IN NEW OFFICE. The Netherlands Club Pays Him a Visit and Presents Him a Bunch of Roses., Boston, Mass: Boston Daily Globe, p. 9.
5. Boston Daily Globe (April 18, 1911), HOUSE RECORDED FOR INCOME TAX Walker Asks Reconsideration--- Senate Adopts 54-Hour Bill. Insane Hospital Inquiry Killed--- Anti-Lorimer Resolution. IMPORTANT EVENTS AT STATE HOUSE YESTERDAY., Boston, MA: The Boston Daily Globe, p. 1
6. "FOSS AND FROTHINGHAM WIN" (PDF). The New York Times. September 27, 1911. p. 2. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
7. "MANY SEEK OFFICE IN MASSACHUSETTS". The New York Times. August 9, 1922. p. 6. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
8. "In Memoriam". Holy Cross Magazine. Archived from the original on September 5, 2004. Summer 2003. Retrieved on October 6, 2007.

• "THE STATES" (PDF). National Association of Secretaries of State. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
• "Special Collections - Burrill File". State Library of Massachusetts. Retrieved October 6, 2007.

External links

• Official site
• Office of the Secretary of State, hdl:2452/35811 – via State Library of Massachusetts electronic repository. (Various documents).