Increase Sumner (November 27, 1746– June 7, 1799) was an American politician from Massachusetts. He served as the fifth governor of Massachusetts from 1797 to 1799. Increase Sumner was born on 27 November 1746 in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Increase Sumner and Sarah Sharp. His father was a farmer, who by dint of hard work built and left a considerable property. Increase Sumner, the elder, held a number of public offices including Coroner for the County of Suffolk, and Selectman of Roxbury. Sumner's father died on 28 November 1774 and left eight children. Shortly after his father's death, the Sumner family moved temporarily to the Sumner farm in Dorchester, called "Morgan's", because their house was exposed to enemy fire during the Siege of Boston.[1]

In 1752 Sumner enrolled in the Grammar School in Roxbury, now Roxbury Latin School, headed by William Cushing, future justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and excelled to the extent of winning admission to Harvard University in 1763, from which he graduated in 1767.