William Darlington
Encyclopedia
William Darlington was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
.
William Darlington (cousin of Edward Darlington
and Isaac Darlington
, second cousin of Smedley Darlington
) was born in Birmingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania
. He attended Friends School
at Birmingham and spent his youth on a farm. He became a botanist at an early age, studied medicine, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania
at Philadelphia in 1804. He went to the East Indies
as ship’s surgeon in 1806. He returned to West Chester in 1807 and was a practicing physician there for a number of years. He raised a company of volunteers at the beginning of the War of 1812
and was major of a volunteer regiment.
Darlington was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fourteenth
Congress. He was again elected to the Sixteenth
and Seventeenth
Congresses. He was appointed canal commissioner in 1825, and served as president of the West Chester Railroad. He established a natural history
society in West Chester in 1826 and published several works on botany and natural history. He served as director and president of the National Bank of Chester County from 1830 to 1863. He died in West Chester in 1863, and was interred in Oakland Cemetery.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
William Darlington (cousin of Edward Darlington
Edward Darlington
Edward Darlington was an Anti-Masonic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Edward Darlington was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He moved in early youth with his parents to Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He taught school from 1817 to 1820...
and Isaac Darlington
Isaac Darlington
Isaac Darlington was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.He was born near West Chester, Pennsylvania and attended Friends School at Birmingham, Pennsylvania. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1801 where he commenced his practice in West Chester...
, second cousin of Smedley Darlington
Smedley Darlington
Smedley Darlington was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
) was born in Birmingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
. He attended Friends School
Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse
Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse is a historic Quaker meeting house at 1245 Birmingham Road in Birmingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The current meetinghouse was built in 1763 and added to the National Register in 1971. The building and the adjacent cemetery were near the center of...
at Birmingham and spent his youth on a farm. He became a botanist at an early age, studied medicine, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
at Philadelphia in 1804. He went to the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
as ship’s surgeon in 1806. He returned to West Chester in 1807 and was a practicing physician there for a number of years. He raised a company of volunteers at the beginning of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and was major of a volunteer regiment.
Darlington was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fourteenth
14th United States Congress
- Senate :* President: Vacant* President pro tempore: John Gaillard of South Carolina, first elected December 4, 1815- House of Representatives :* Speaker: Henry Clay of Kentucky-Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
Congress. He was again elected to the Sixteenth
16th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Alabama and one seat was reapportioned from Massachusetts to the new state of Maine. For the beginning of the next congress, six more seats from Massachusetts would be reapportioned to...
and Seventeenth
17th United States Congress
The Seventeenth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1821 to March 3, 1823, during the fifth and sixth...
Congresses. He was appointed canal commissioner in 1825, and served as president of the West Chester Railroad. He established a natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
society in West Chester in 1826 and published several works on botany and natural history. He served as director and president of the National Bank of Chester County from 1830 to 1863. He died in West Chester in 1863, and was interred in Oakland Cemetery.