page_title: William Gaston (Massachusetts)
hierarchical_section_title: William Gaston (Massachusetts)
caption_attribution_description: Portrait of William Gaston
context_page_description: William Gaston was a lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. A Democrat, he was the first member of that party to serve as Governor of Massachusetts after the American Civil War. He was a successful trial lawyer and politically conservative Democrat, who won election as governor after his opponent, Thomas Talbot, vetoed legislation to relax alcohol controls.
  Born in Connecticut, Gaston was educated at Brown University, where he helped establish the second chapter of Delta Phi in 1838. Gaston launched a successful law practice in Roxbury before becoming involved in local politics. In the 1860s, he served as mayor of Roxbury, and afterward promoted its annexation to Boston. He then later served as Boston mayor, during a period which included the Great Boston Fire of 1872.
context_section_description: William Gaston (October 3, 1820 – January 19, 1894) was a lawyer and politician from Massachusetts.  A Democrat, he was the first member of that party to serve as Governor of Massachusetts (1875–1876) after the American Civil War.  He was a successful trial lawyer and politically conservative Democrat, who won election as governor after his opponent, Thomas Talbot, vetoed legislation to relax alcohol controls.
  Born in Connecticut, Gaston was educated at Brown University, where he helped establish the second chapter of Delta Phi in 1838. Gaston launched a successful law practice in Roxbury before becoming involved in local politics.  In the 1860s, he served as mayor of Roxbury, and afterward promoted its annexation to Boston (completed in 1868).  He then later served as Boston mayor, during a period which included the Great Boston Fire of 1872.
caption: Engraved portrait, published 1895
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