Emerson Harrington
| Emerson Harrington | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
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In office 1918 |
|
| Preceded by | Arthur Capper |
| Succeeded by | Henry Justin Allen |
| 48th Governor of Maryland | |
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In office January 12, 1916 – January 14, 1920 |
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| Preceded by | Phillips Goldsborough |
| Succeeded by | Albert Ritchie |
| Comptroller of Maryland | |
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In office January 10, 1912 – January 12, 1916 |
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| Governor | Phillips Goldsborough |
| Preceded by | Charles H. Stanley |
| Succeeded by | Hugh A. McMullen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Emerson Columbus Harrington March 26, 1864 Madison, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | December 15, 1945 (aged 81) Cambridge, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Gertrude Johnson |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | St. John's College, Maryland (BA, MA) |
Emerson Columbus Harrington (March 26, 1864 – December 15, 1945) was the 48th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1916 to 1920. He also served as Comptroller of the Maryland Treasury from 1912 to 1916.
Emerson Harrington was born to John E. Harrington and Elizabeth Thompson Harrington in the town of Madison in Dorchester County, Maryland. He attended the public schools of Madison until he turned 16, at which point he went on to attend St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. He received a bachelor's degree in 1884 and a master's degree two years later. He became a tutor at the college after graduation, and, as a result of an instructor falling ill, was elected to be an assistant professor. Before assuming his new position, he accepted a position as principal at the Cambridge Academy, a position he served in for 12 years. He married Gertrude Johnson on June 27, 1893, and with her had three children, Emerson C., Jr., Mary Virginia, and William Johnson.
After studying law, Harrington was admitted to the bar in 1898 and commenced practice soon thereafter. In 1899, he was elected as the State's Attorney for Dorchester County, and served in that position until his election defeat in 1903. As state's attorney, Harrington gained a reputation as a hard-liner, and was an aggressive prosecutor. This, along with party conflict, contributed to his defeat.
Harrington resumed the practice of law in Cambridge, Maryland in 1903. In 1910, he was appointed as Insurance Commissioner, a position he served in until he was elected Comptroller of Maryland in 1911. During the election, he defeated Republican challenger John A. Cunningham by 7,800 votes. Harrington was re-elected two years later, defeating challenger Oliver Metzerott by a comfortable margin.
In 1915, Harrington chose to run for Governor of Maryland. During the heated Democratic primary, Harrington's opponent Blair Lee I accused him of poorly managing the state's finances during his tenure as Comptroller, and Baltimore Mayor John H. Preston spoke ill of Harrington regarding his handling of a dispute between Baltimore City and Pennsylvania Railroad. The disputes were settled, however, and Harrington won the Democratic primary. During the general election, Harrington defeated Republican Ovington E. Weller by 3,181 votes and was sworn in as governor on January 12, 1916.
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