Augustus Gardner Means

Augustus Gardner Means
Member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council from the 5th District
In office 1955–1961
Preceded by	Arthur A. Thomson
Succeeded by	John J. Buckley
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 2nd Essex District
In office 1951–1955
Preceded by	Colin J. Cameron
Succeeded by	Barclay H. Warburton III
Personal details
Born	June 8, 1925 Beverly, Massachusetts
Died	April 18, 1994 (aged 68) Sanibel, Florida
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary Callan (1946–1959; divorce) Jean Draper (1961–1994; his death)
Alma mater	University of Massachusetts Cornell University

Augustus Gardner Means (June 8, 1925 – April 18, 1994) was an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts Governor's Council. He was also the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 1954 and Massachusetts State Treasurer and 1960.

Means was born on June 8, 1925 in Beverly, Massachusetts to W. Gordon and Constance (Gardner) Means. He was the great-grandson of Henry Cabot Lodge and the grandson of Augustus Peabody Gardner. Means attended the Groton School and in 1944 he graduated from the Culver Military Academy.

After graduating, Means enlisted in the United States Army. He served with the 80th Infantry Division in France during World War II. He was shot in the chest outside of Bastogne when a platoon he was leading was pinned down by a concealed German machine gun. A deck of playing cards partially deflected bullet and Means was able to crawl behind the gun and jump the soldiers manning it - killing three of them. His citations included the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart.

After his discharge in January 1946, Means worked as a veterinary assistant in Wakefield, Massachusetts. He attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and graduated from Cornell University, where he studied veterinary medicine and agriculture.

...
Wikipedia