Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley

Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley
Born	Template:Birth date Colchester, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	February 13, 1872(1872-02-13) (aged 68) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, politician, lawyer, judge
Known for	First president of Aetna Life Insurance Company; Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives

Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley (June 20, 1803 – February 13, 1872) was a prominent American businessman and political figure, recognized primarily as the inaugural president of the Aetna Insurance Company. His political career included service in both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly, where he notably held the position of speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1857.

Life and career

Originating from Colchester, Connecticut, Bulkeley completed his undergraduate and legal studies at Yale University before practicing law in both Lebanon, Connecticut and Selma, Alabama. Subsequently relocating to East Haddam, Connecticut, he engaged in various roles such as banker, local legislator, state's attorney, judge, and ultimately Speaker of the Connecticut House.

Bulkeley was at the helm of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, the state’s pioneering life insurance firm established in 1846. In 1847, he became a director and general counsel for the Aetna Insurance Company. By 1850, he assumed leadership of Aetna’s Annuity Fund subsidiary, which was restructured in 1853 into the Aetna Life Insurance Company, with Bulkeley serving as its first president. Amid the challenges of the Panic of 1857, he resisted shareholder calls to dissolve the company and ensured its continued operation.

After being reelected as speaker in 1857, Bulkeley confronted another insurance industry slump in 1861 but implemented a vigorous marketing campaign. This strategy enabled Aetna to benefit from increased demand for life insurance during wartime, solidifying its position as a leading insurer on a national scale.

Bulkeley fathered at least five children, among them Morgan Bulkeley (1837–1922), who later served as Hartford’s Mayor, Governor of Connecticut, and U.S. Senator. He passed away on February 13, 1872, in Hartford at age 68.