Library & Archives of New Hampshire's Political Tradition (original) (raw)

The first meeting of the Republican party was held in 1853 in Exeter, New Hampshire. It was organized by a gentleman named Amos Tuck. Tuck was originally a Democrat, but broke with pro-slavery Democratic leaders in 1844 and was formally cast out of the party.

In 1845 he called a convention to form an independent movement in favor of anti-slavery Congressional Candidate John P. Hale. This convention would later be identified as "the nucleus of the Republican Party." During the months following the convention (which was described by Tuck as "respectable in numbers and unparalleled in spirit") Tuck worked tenaciously to grow his young party. His hard work and enthusiasm resulted in the successful election of Hale in 1846. Tuck himself was also elected to Congress. After three consecutive terms he returned to Exeter in 1853 and began a movement to unite the many minor political factions that existed in the state of New Hampshire. On October 12th, 1853 at Major Blake�s Hotel in Exeter, a group of anti-slavery men met and, at Tuck�s suggestion, were christened "Republicans."

Want to learn more? You'll find the information you're looking for in a book called Birth of the Republican Party by Hugh Gregg and Georgi Hippauf.