Isaac Toucey

Isaac Toucey (November 15, 1792 – July 30, 1869) was an American politician who served as a U.S. senator, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Attorney General and the 33rd Governor of Connecticut.

President Buchanan and his Cabinet
From left to right: Jacob Thompson, Lewis Cass, John B. Floyd, James Buchanan, Howell Cobb, Isaac Toucey, Joseph Holt and Jeremiah S. Black, (c. 1859)

Isaac Toucey
23rd United States Secretary of the Navy
In office March 7, 1857 – March 4, 1861
President	James Buchanan
Preceded by	James C. Dobbin
Succeeded by	Gideon Welles
United States senator from Connecticut
In office May 12, 1852 – March 4, 1857
Preceded by	Roger Baldwin
Succeeded by	James Dixon
20th United States Attorney General
In office June 21, 1848 – March 3, 1849
President	James K. Polk
Preceded by	Nathan Clifford
Succeeded by	Reverdy Johnson
33rd Governor of Connecticut
In office May 6, 1846 – May 5, 1847
Lieutenant	Noyes Billings
Preceded by	Roger Baldwin
Succeeded by	Clark Bissell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 1st district
In office March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Joseph Trumbull
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's at-large district
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837
Preceded by	Noyes Barber
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	(1792-11-15)November 15, 1792 Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	July 30, 1869(1869-07-30) (aged 76) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Catherine Nichols

Biography

Born in Newtown, Connecticut, Toucey pursued classical studies; studied law and was admitted to the bar at Hartford, Connecticut, in 1818.[1] From 1825 to 1835 he had his own practice in Hartford, Connecticut. He married Catherine Nichols in Hartford on October 28, 1827. The couple never had any children.[2]

Career

In 1822, Toucey was named prosecuting attorney of Hartford County, Connecticut. He served in that position until 1835, when he was elected to the 24th and 25th Congresses (at-large and then representing the 1st District). He served from 1835 to 1839. He lost the election of 1838 and returned to his position as prosecuting attorney in 1842.

In 1845, Toucey ran for Governor of Connecticut and lost, but the Connecticut State Legislature appointed him to the position in 1846. During his tenure, an antibribery bill geared toward eliminating fraudulent electoral procedures was considered. He was defeated in an attempt at re-election.[3]

In 1848, President James K. Polk appointed Toucey the 20th Attorney General of the United States, a position he held until 1849. He returned to Connecticut and took a place in the Connecticut Senate in 1850, and then in the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1852.

Toucey was elected to the U.S. Senate for the term commencing March 4, 1851, and served from May 12, 1852, to March 3, 1857, having that year declined to be a candidate for reelection.[4] During that time, he often served as the legislative point man for Franklin Pierce and his administration.

James Buchanan, who Toucey had served with in the Polk administration, appointed him U.S. Secretary of the Navy in his Cabinet in 1857 as a sop to the Pierce faction as well as to represent New England in the Cabinet. A moderate Northerner much in line with Buchanan's thought in the sectional controversies of the day, Toucey held that post until 1861 and the arrival of the Abraham Lincoln administration. Toucey was then replaced by one of his chief rivals in Connecticut, Gideon Welles. After 1861 he returned to his law practice.

Death and legacy

Toucey died in Hartford on July 30, 1869.[5] He is interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. USS Toucey (DD-282) was named for him.

References

1. "Isaac Toucey". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
2. "Isaac Toucey". Connecticut State Library. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
3. "Isaac Toucey". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
4. "Isaac Toucey". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
5. "Isaac Toucey". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 30 November 2012.

External links

• United States Congress. "Isaac Toucey (id: T000319)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Connecticut State Library: Isaac Toucey, Governor of Connecticut from 1846 to 1847
• Isaac Toucey at Find a Grave
• National Governors Association
• Govtrack US Congress
• The Political Graveyard

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Noyes Barber	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's at-large congressional district 1835–1837	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 1st congressional district 1837–1839	Succeeded by Joseph Trumbull
Party political offices
Preceded by Chauncey Cleveland	Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut 1845, 1846	Succeeded by Isaac Whittlesey
Political offices
Preceded by Roger Baldwin	Governor of Connecticut 1846–1847	Succeeded by Clark Bissell
Preceded by James C. Dobbin	United States Secretary of the Navy 1857–1861	Succeeded by Gideon Welles
Legal offices
Preceded by Nathan Clifford	United States Attorney General 1848–1849	Succeeded by Reverdy Johnson
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Roger Baldwin	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from Connecticut 1852–1857 Served alongside: Truman Smith, Francis Gillette, Lafayette S. Foster	Succeeded by James Dixon