William H. Sumner
Every day about 20,000 commuters travel through the Sumner tunnel from East Boston to Downtown Boston. Here's some information about the person that the tunnel is named after.
Five General Information Facts about William H. Sumner
- William Hyslop Sumner was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts on July 4, 1780, the
- In 1789, when he was only 9 years old, William H. Sumner saw President Washington last visit to Boston.
- He attended Harvard Law School and served as a member of the Great and General Court.
- He was the Commander of the Massachusetts forces during the War of 1812
- He was the Adjutant General of Massachusetts from 1818 - 1835 The Adjutant General is a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Cabinet and advises the Governor on military and emergency management matters.
- He developed East Boston from marshland into a busy seaport.
- In 1833 he established a ferry service from East Boston to Boston. The service was called "The Sumner Ferry"
- Wrote several books including the Reminiscences of Lafayette's visit to Boston, History of East Boston, and Some Recollections of Washington's Visit to Boston as well as some others. All of his books are available at the Boston Public Library Central Delivery desk for in-library use only.
- Died in Jamaica Plain in 1861
Mentioned in Edward M. Kennedy: "Chappaquiddick" speech (Top 100 American Speeches):
The people of this state, the state which sent John Quincy Adams, and Daniel Webster, and Charles Sumner, and Henry Cabot Lodge, and John Kennedy to the United States Senate are entitled to representation in that body by men who inspire their utmost confidence. For this reason, I would understand full well why some might think it right for me to resign. For me, this will be a difficult decision to make.