Silas Betton

Silas Betton
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office 1810–1811
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's At-Large district
In office March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1807
Preceded by	George B. Upham
Succeeded by	Peter Carleton
Member of the New Hampshire Senate
In office 1801–1803
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office 1797–1799
Personal details
Born	August 26, 1768 Londonderry, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	January 22, 1822 (aged 53) Salem, New Hampshire, U.S.
Resting place	Old Parish Cemetery Salem, New Hampshire
Citizenship	US
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Mary Thornton Betton
Relations	Matthew Thornton
Children	Caroline Betton George O. Betton Harriet Betton Mary J. Betton Wealthy J. Betton Thornton Betton Charles Cotesworth Betton
Alma mater	Dartmouth College
Profession	Lawyer High Sheriff Politician

Silas Betton (August 26, 1768 – January 22, 1822) was an American lawyer, sheriff and politician from the U.S. state of New Hampshire. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, the New Hampshire Senate and the New Hampshire House of Representatives during the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Early life

Betton was born in Londonderry, New Hampshire, the son of James and Elizabeth (Dickey) Betton.^[1] He studied under a private tutor, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1787.^[2] He studied law, was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Salem, New Hampshire in 1790.^[3]

Political career

He was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1797–1799 and a member of the New Hampshire Senate from 1801–1803.^[4] Elected as a Federalist candidate to the Eighth and Ninth Congresses, he served as a United States Representative for New Hampshire from March 4, 1803 to March 3, 1807.^[5][6] After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law. He served again as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1810 and 1811.

When Josiah Butler left the office of sheriff of Rockingham County, Betton became high sheriff, serving from 1813–1818.^[7][8]

Death

Betton died in Salem, New Hampshire in 1822 and was interred at the Old Parish Cemetery in Salem.^[9]

Personal life

He married Mary Thornton Betton, the daughter of Matthew Thornton, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.^[10][11] They had seven children: Caroline Betton, George O. Betton, Harriet Betton, Mary J. Betton, Wealthy J. Betton, Thornton Betton< and Charles Cotesworth Betton.^[12]

References

1. Bell, Charles Henry (1893). The bench and bar of New Hampshire: including biographical notices of deceased judges of the highest court, and lawyers of the province and state, and a list of names of those now living. Houghton, Mifflin and company. p. 206.
2. Poore, Benjamin Perley (1878). The Political Register and Congressional Directory: A Statistical Record of the Federal Officials, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial, of the United States of America, 1776-1878. Houghton, Osgood. p. 282.
3. Bell, Charles Henry (1893). The bench and bar of New Hampshire: including biographical notices of deceased judges of the highest court, and lawyers of the province and state, and a list of names of those now living. Houghton, Mifflin and company. p. 205.
4. United States. Congress. House (1826). Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States: Being the First Session of the First Congress-3rd Session of the 13th Congress, March 4, 1789-Sept. 19, 1814, Volume 4. Gales and Seaton. p. 417.
5. Southern New Hampshire Bar Association (1894). The Publications of the Southern New Hampshire Bar Association. The Association. p. 286.
6. Metcalf, Henry Harrison and McClintock, John Norris McClintock (1881). New Hampshire State Magazine, Volume 4. Granite Monthly Company. p. 270.
7. Cogswell, William (1846). The New Hampshire Repository: Devoted to Education, Literature and Religion. A. Prescott. p. 45.
8. Chapman, George Thomas (1867). Sketches of the Alumni of Dartmouth College: From the First Graduation in 1771 to the Present Time, with a Brief History of the Institution. Riverside Press. p. 44.
9. Spencer, Thomas E. (1998). Where They're Buried: A Directory Containing More Than Twenty Thousand Names of Notable Persons Buried in American Cemeteries, with Listings of Many Prominent People who Were Cremated. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 221.
10. Bell, Charles Henry (1893). The bench and bar of New Hampshire: including biographical notices of deceased judges of the highest court, and lawyers of the province and state, and a list of names of those now living. Houghton, Mifflin and company. p. 206.
11. "Author Archives: Heather Rojo Family History Day, Boston, 16 October 2010". Londonderry News. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
12. "Mary Thornton". Ancestry.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.

External links

• United States Congress. "Silas Betton (id: B000425)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.