Samuel C. Crafts
Encyclopedia
Samuel Chandler Crafts was a United States Representative, Senator
and the 12th Governor of Vermont
.
Born in Woodstock, Connecticut
, he graduated from Harvard College
in 1790 and moved in 1791 to Vermont with his father, who founded the town of Craftsbury
. He was town clerk from 1799 to 1829 and was a delegate
to the Vermont Constitutional convention in 1793. He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives
in 1796, 1800–1803, and 1805, and was clerk of the house in 1798–1799. He was register of probate
from 1796 to 1815 and was assistant judge of the Orleans County
Court from 1800 to 1810 and 1825 to 1828.
Crafts made an extensive botanical reconnaissance of the Mississippi Valley in 1802; he was a member of the State council from 1809 to 1813 and was chief judge of the Orleans County Court from 1810 to 1816. He was elected to the Fifteenth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1817 to March 4, 1825; he again served as State councilor in 1825 and 1826. Craft was Governor of Vermont
from 1828 to 1831 and a member of the Vermont constitutional convention of 1829 and served as its president. He was clerk of Orleans County from 1836 to 1839, and was appointed and subsequently elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel Prentiss
, and served from April 23, 1842, until March 4, 1843.
Samuel Crafts retired to his farm in Craftsbury where he died in 1853; interment was in North Craftsbury Cemetery, North Craftsbury
.
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 the 12th Governor of Vermont
Governor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
.
Born in Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock, Connecticut
Woodstock is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,221 at the 2000 census.-Annual events:*The Woodstock Fair, run by the Woodstock Agricultural Society has been held since 1860. The current President of the Woodstock Fair is Susan Z. Hibbard...
, he graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1790 and moved in 1791 to Vermont with his father, who founded the town of Craftsbury
Craftsbury, Vermont
Craftsbury is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. The town includes the four unincorporated villages of Craftsbury Common, Mill Village, North Craftsbury and East Craftsbury.-Town:...
. He was town clerk from 1799 to 1829 and was a delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the Vermont Constitutional convention in 1793. He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members. Vermont legislative districting divides representing districts into 66 single-member districts and 42 two-member...
in 1796, 1800–1803, and 1805, and was clerk of the house in 1798–1799. He was register of probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
from 1796 to 1815 and was assistant judge of the Orleans County
Orleans County, Vermont
Orleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. In 2010, the population was 27,231. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
Court from 1800 to 1810 and 1825 to 1828.
Crafts made an extensive botanical reconnaissance of the Mississippi Valley in 1802; he was a member of the State council from 1809 to 1813 and was chief judge of the Orleans County Court from 1810 to 1816. He was elected to the Fifteenth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1817 to March 4, 1825; he again served as State councilor in 1825 and 1826. Craft was Governor of Vermont
Governor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
from 1828 to 1831 and a member of the Vermont constitutional convention of 1829 and served as its president. He was clerk of Orleans County from 1836 to 1839, and was appointed and subsequently elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Samuel Prentiss
Samuel Prentiss
Samuel Prentiss was a United States Senator from Vermont and later a United States federal judge.Born in Stonington, Connecticut, he moved to Northfield, Massachusetts in 1786; he completed preparatory studies and was instructed in the classics by a private tutor...
, and served from April 23, 1842, until March 4, 1843.
Samuel Crafts retired to his farm in Craftsbury where he died in 1853; interment was in North Craftsbury Cemetery, North Craftsbury
Craftsbury, Vermont
Craftsbury is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. The town includes the four unincorporated villages of Craftsbury Common, Mill Village, North Craftsbury and East Craftsbury.-Town:...
.
External links
- Samuel C. Crafts 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:...
- Samuel C. Crafts papers in Congressional Papers collection, Center for Digital Initiatives, University of Vermont Library
- Inventory of the Crafts Family Collection, Special Collections, University of Vermont Library