Increase Sumner

Increase Sumner
Painting by James Sharples
5th Governor of Massachusetts
In office June 2, 1797 – June 7, 1799
Lieutenant	Moses Gill
Preceded by	Samuel Adams
Succeeded by	Moses Gill (acting)
Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
In office 1782–1797
Nominated by	John Hancock
Preceded by	James Sullivan
Succeeded by	Theophilus Bradbury
Personal details
Born	(1746-11-27)November 27, 1746 Roxbury, Province of Massachusetts Bay
Died	June 7, 1799(1799-06-07) (aged 52) Roxbury, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Federalist
Spouse	Elizabeth Hyslop ​ (m. 1779)​
Relatives	Sumner family
Alma mater	Harvard College
Signature

Increase Sumner (November 27, 1746 – June 7, 1799) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Massachusetts. He was the fifth governor of Massachusetts, serving from 1797 to 1799. Trained as a lawyer, he served in the provisional government of Massachusetts during the American Revolutionary War, and was elected to the Confederation Congress in 1782. Appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court the same year, he served there as an associate justice until 1797.

He was elected governor of Massachusetts three times by wide margins, but died shortly after the start of his third term. His descendants include his son William H. Sumner, for whom the Sumner Tunnel in Boston, Massachusetts, is named, and 20th-century diplomats Sumner Welles and Sumner Gerard.