Elbert Carvel
61st and 64thGovernor of Delaware
In office January 17, 1961 – January 19, 1965
Lieutenant	Eugene Lammot
Preceded by	David Buckson
Succeeded by	Charles Terry
In office January 18, 1949 – January 20, 1953
Lieutenant	Alexis du Pont Bayard
Preceded by	Walter Bacon
Succeeded by	Caleb Boggs
12thLieutenant Governor of Delaware
In office January 16, 1945 – January 18, 1949
Governor	Walter Bacon
Preceded by	Isaac MacCollum
Succeeded by	Alexis du Pont Bayard
Personal details
Born	Elbert Nostrand Carvel (1910-02-09)February 9, 1910 Shelter Island, New York, U.S.
Died	February 6, 2005(2005-02-06) (aged 94) Laurel, Delaware, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Occupation	Businessman

Elbert Nostrand "Bert" Carvel (February 9, 1910 – February 6, 2005) was an American businessman and politician fromLaurel, inSussex County, Delaware. He was a member of theDemocratic Party, who served as the12th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware and two non-consecutive terms as theGovernor of Delaware.

Carvel was born atShelter Island, Long Island, New York, son of Arnold W. and Elizabeth Nostrand Carvel.Kent Island, Maryland was his childhood home. He married Ann Hall Valliant in 1932 and they had four children, Edwin, Elizabeth, Ann Hall and Barbara. They were members of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Laurel, Delaware.

After moving to Laurel in 1936, he began his management of the Valliant Fertilizer Company, that would continue throughout his political career. In his first attempt at public office, Carvel was elected lieutenant governor in 1944, defeatingRepublican Clayton Bunting, Sr. He served one term from January 16, 1945, to January 18, 1949.

He appeared on the television showWhat's My Line? on November 13, 1960, as the nascent Governor-elect (second term) of Delaware where his "line" was "manufactures fertilizer."^[1]

Carvel was first elected Governor of Delaware in 1948, defeating Republican Hyland F. George and served one term from January 18, 1949, to January 20, 1953. He lost a bid for a second term in 1952 to U.S. RepresentativeJ. Caleb Boggs. Subsequently, he lost an election for U.S. Senate in 1958 to incumbent Republican U.S. SenatorJohn J. Williams. However, he was elected to a second term as Governor of Delaware in 1960, defeating RepublicanJohn W. Rollins, a former lieutenant governor. Soon after this, on November 13, 1960, he appeared as a contestant on the TV game showWhat's My Line?. His line was that he manufacturedfertilizer. This time he served from January 17, 1961, until January 19, 1965. Carvel lost a final bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 1964, again to incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John J. Williams.

As only the second Democrat elected governor in 48 years, he was also the first Democrat ever to win two terms.

Accomplishments during his separate terms included the establishment of a public service commission and state development department, the restructuring of election laws, the granting of a $28-million appropriation for the construction of schools, an increase in teacher salaries, the improvement of funding for road and highway development, the authorizing of the Interstate Compact on Mental Health, the sanctioning of the Delaware River and Bridge Authority, and the Municipal Home Rule Law.[1]

He was opposed to capital punishment and was an early and persistent leader for civil rights legislation in a still politically conservative Delaware. As Governor he led the successful effort to create aDelaware Supreme Court, the lack of which threatened Delaware's ability to handle corporate litigation, and thereby ended Delaware's status as the only state without such a court.

Among his other accomplishments during his tenures in office were the building of the first span of theDelaware Memorial Bridge, developing numerous other roads and highways, establishing the Delaware Public Service Commission and initiating the Delaware State Development Department.

Carvel died inLaurel, Delaware, three days before what would have been his 95th birthday and is buried at the Carvel Family Cemetery,Kent Island, Maryland.

Known as "Big Bert," Carvel stood 6' 6". He was known as a liberal Democrat from conservative "lower Delaware," and never hesitated to promote causes of importance to him regardless of their impact on his political career or his fertilizer business. The state office building at 820 North French Street,Wilmington is named for him, as is theUniversity of Delaware Research and Education Center inGeorgetown. The cafeteria in North Laurel Elementary School is named the "Carvel Room", after him.

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor take office the third Tuesday of January and have four-year terms.

• Davis, Ned (2000).Charles L. Terry. Wilmington, Delaware: Delaware Heritage Press.LCCN 00133337.ISBN 0-924177-15-X{{isbn}}: ignored ISBN errors (link).
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2000).Honest John Williams. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press.
• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004).Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books.ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Martin, Roger A. (1984).History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
• Martin, Roger (1997).Elbert N. Carvel. Wilmington, Delaware: Delaware Heritage Press.ISBN 0-924117-08-7.
• Sobel, Robert; J. Racino (1988).Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.ISBN 0-930466-00-4.

• Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery;Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.

• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
• A film clip"Longines Chronoscope with Elbert N. Carvel (January 7, 1952)" is available for viewing at theInternet Archive
• Delaware's Governors
• University of Delaware Obituary

• 1910 births
• 2005 deaths
• People from Laurel, Delaware
• Businesspeople from Delaware
• Lieutenant governors of Delaware
• Democratic Party governors of Delaware
• People from Shelter Island, New York
• 20th-century American businesspeople
• 20th-century American Episcopalians
• 20th-century Delaware politicians

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from March 2022
• Ignored ISBN errors
• Articles with Internet Archive links