Richard Stockton (1764-1828)
Encyclopedia
Richard Stockton was a lawyer who represented New Jersey
in the United States Senate
and later served in the United States House of Representatives
. He was the first U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, holding that office from 1789 to 1791, and ran unsuccessfully for Vice President
in the 1820 election
as a member of the Federalist Party, which did not nominate a candidate for President.
, the son of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
. He was tutored privately, and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
) in 1779. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1784 and commenced practice in Princeton.
He was elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Frederick Frelinghuysen
and served from November 12, 1796 to March 4, 1799, but declined to be a candidate for reelection. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of New Jersey
in 1801, 1803, and 1804. He was elected as a Federalist to the Thirteenth Congress, serving from March 4, 1813 to March 4, 1815, and declined to be a candidate for renomination to the Fourteenth Congress.
After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of his profession. He died at Morven, near Princeton, and was interred in Princeton Cemetery
in Princeton.
served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
His son was the naval officer Commodore Robert F. Stockton
, who defeated the Mexican army in 1846 and became the first military governor of the State of California, and later became a Senator from New Jersey like his father before him.
His daughter Annie Stockton was the first wife of U.S. Senator John Renshaw Thomson
.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and later served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. He was the first U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, holding that office from 1789 to 1791, and ran unsuccessfully for Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in the 1820 election
United States presidential election, 1820
The United States presidential election of 1820 was the third and last presidential election in United States history in which a candidate ran effectively unopposed. In 1820, President James Monroe and Vice President Daniel D...
as a member of the Federalist Party, which did not nominate a candidate for President.
Life
Stockton was born in Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, the son of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. He was tutored privately, and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) in 1779. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1784 and commenced practice in Princeton.
He was elected as a Federalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Frederick Frelinghuysen
Frederick Frelinghuysen (1753–1804)
Frederick Frelinghuysen was an American lawyer, soldier, and senator from New Jersey. A graduate of the College of New Jersey , Frederick went on to become an officer during the American Revolutionary War. In addition, he was and served as a delegate to the Continental Congress...
and served from November 12, 1796 to March 4, 1799, but declined to be a candidate for reelection. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1801, 1803, and 1804. He was elected as a Federalist to the Thirteenth Congress, serving from March 4, 1813 to March 4, 1815, and declined to be a candidate for renomination to the Fourteenth Congress.
After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of his profession. He died at Morven, near Princeton, and was interred in Princeton Cemetery
Princeton Cemetery
Princeton Cemetery is located in Borough of Princeton, New Jersey. It is owned by the Nassau Presbyterian Church. John F. Hageman in his 1878 history of Princeton, New Jersey refers to the cemetery as: "The Westminster Abbey of the United States."...
in Princeton.
Family
His brother Lucius Horatio StocktonLucius Horatio Stockton
align="right"|Lucius Horatio Stockton was an American lawyer who served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1798 to 1801.-Biography:...
served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
His son was the naval officer Commodore Robert F. Stockton
Robert F. Stockton
Robert Field Stockton was a United States naval commodore, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican-American War. He was a naval innovator and an early advocate for a propeller-driven, steam-powered navy. Stockton was from a notable political family and also served as a U.S...
, who defeated the Mexican army in 1846 and became the first military governor of the State of California, and later became a Senator from New Jersey like his father before him.
His daughter Annie Stockton was the first wife of U.S. Senator John Renshaw Thomson
John Renshaw Thomson
John Renshaw Thomson was an American merchant and politician from New Jersey.-Life:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he attended the common schools in Princeton, New Jersey, and the College of New Jersey . In 1817, he went to China and became a merchant in Canton where he was United States...
.
External links
- Richard Stockton (1764-1828) at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- Richard Stockton (1764-1828) at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...