Joel and Nancy Dayton are the parents of William Lewis Dayton, (1807-1864).
William Lewis Dayton was another Basking Ridge boy, who had a most unusual career in the public service of his state and nation. He was graduated from Princeton in 1825, and in 1836 he was elected a member of the New Jersey Senate. Before his term was ended, he was appointed (1838) a Judge in the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1848 he became a United States Senator, serving until 1851. He was Attorney General of New Jersey from 1857-1861, and was then appointed by President Lincoln as United States Minister to France.
He ran for Vice President of the United States in 1856 with John C. Fremont on the Republican ticket against Democrats James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge. William was a favorite of Abraham Lincoln, who wanted William as his Vice President in the election of 1864, but because a Southerner was thought to be a better candidate to heal the wounds of the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was chosen by the Republican Convention instead. Since Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, William Dayton would have been President. While Ambassador to France, he died in office in 1864. At his death, the President wrote: "There is no man in public life for whose character I have a higher admiration".
William Lewis Dayton was another Basking Ridge boy, who had a most unusual career in the public service of his state and nation. He was graduated from Princeton in 1825, and in 1836 he was elected a member of the New Jersey Senate. Before his term was ended, he was appointed (1838) a Judge in the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1848 he became a United States Senator, serving until 1851. He was Attorney General of New Jersey from 1857-1861, and was then appointed by President Lincoln as United States Minister to France.
He ran for Vice President of the United States in 1856 with John C. Fremont on the Republican ticket against Democrats James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge. William was a favorite of Abraham Lincoln, who wanted William as his Vice President in the election of 1864, but because a Southerner was thought to be a better candidate to heal the wounds of the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was chosen by the Republican Convention instead. Since Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, William Dayton would have been President. While Ambassador to France, he died in office in 1864. At his death, the President wrote: "There is no man in public life for whose character I have a higher admiration".
Joel and Nancy Dayton are the parents of William Lewis Dayton, (1807-1864).
William Lewis Dayton was another Basking Ridge boy, who had a most unusual career in the public service of his state and nation. He was graduated from Princeton in 1825, and in 1836 he was elected a member of the New Jersey Senate. Before his term was ended, he was appointed (1838) a Judge in the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1848 he became a United States Senator, serving until 1851. He was Attorney General of New Jersey from 1857-1861, and was then appointed by President Lincoln as United States Minister to France.
He ran for Vice President of the United States in 1856 with John C. Fremont on the Republican ticket against Democrats James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge. William was a favorite of Abraham Lincoln, who wanted William as his Vice President in the election of 1864, but because a Southerner was thought to be a better candidate to heal the wounds of the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was chosen by the Republican Convention instead. Since Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, William Dayton would have been President. While Ambassador to France, he died in office in 1864. At his death, the President wrote: "There is no man in public life for whose character I have a higher admiration".
William Lewis Dayton was another Basking Ridge boy, who had a most unusual career in the public service of his state and nation. He was graduated from Princeton in 1825, and in 1836 he was elected a member of the New Jersey Senate. Before his term was ended, he was appointed (1838) a Judge in the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 1848 he became a United States Senator, serving until 1851. He was Attorney General of New Jersey from 1857-1861, and was then appointed by President Lincoln as United States Minister to France.
He ran for Vice President of the United States in 1856 with John C. Fremont on the Republican ticket against Democrats James Buchanan and John C. Breckenridge. William was a favorite of Abraham Lincoln, who wanted William as his Vice President in the election of 1864, but because a Southerner was thought to be a better candidate to heal the wounds of the Civil War, Andrew Johnson was chosen by the Republican Convention instead. Since Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, William Dayton would have been President. While Ambassador to France, he died in office in 1864. At his death, the President wrote: "There is no man in public life for whose character I have a higher admiration".
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