John Mattocks
John Mattocks (March 4, 1777 – August 14, 1847) was an American Whig politician, a brigadier general in the War of 1812, U.S. Representative, and 16th governor of Vermont.
John Mattocks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 16th Governor of Vermont | |
| In office October 13, 1843 – October 11, 1844 | |
| Lieutenant | Horace Eaton |
| Preceded by | Charles Paine |
| Succeeded by | William Slade |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 5th district | |
| In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 | |
| Preceded by | Isaac Fletcher |
| Succeeded by | District eliminated |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 5th district | |
| In office March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel C. Crafts |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Azro Ashley Buck |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | None |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
| In office 1807 1815–1816 1823–1824 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 4, 1777 Hartford, Connecticut |
| Died | August 14, 1847 (aged 70) Peacham, Vermont |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse | Esther Newell |
| Profession | Lawyer Judge Politician |
| Signature | .png.webp){kind=small} |
Biography
Mattocks was born in Hartford, Connecticut on March 4, 1777, and moved with his parents to Tinmouth, Vermont in 1778.[1] His father, Samuel Mattocks, was a veteran of the American Revolution and served as Vermont State Treasurer from 1784 to 1800.[1] John Mattocks pursued an academic course, studied law in Middlebury, Vermont and Fairfield, Connecticut, and was admitted to the bar in 1797.[2] He married Esther Newell and they had five children; three sons, George, John, and William; and two daughters named Esther who died in their first years.
Career
Mattocks commenced practice in Danville; moved to Peacham, Vermont.[3] He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives in 1807, 1815, 1816, 1823, and 1824.[3] During the War of 1812, he served as a brigadier general of militia.[4]
Mattocks was elected to the Seventeenth Congress (March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823).[2] He was elected to the Nineteenth Congress (March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827); and served as chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of War (Nineteenth Congress).[2] He was a judge of the Vermont Supreme Court in 1833 and 1834, and declined to be a candidate for renomination.[2] Mattocks was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1836[2] He was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843).[3]
In 1843, the major candidates for Governor of Vermont were Mattocks (Whig), Daniel Kellogg (Democrat), and Charles K. Williams (Liberty).[5] In the general election, they received 24,465 votes (48.7%), 21,982 (43.8%), and 3,766 (7.5%).[5] Because no candidate had the majority required by the Vermont Constitution, the Vermont General Assembly made the selection, and chose Mattocks.[5] During his term, his son, George, committed suicide and, grief-stricken, Mattocks declined to run for another term.[4]
Death and legacy
Mattocks died in Peacham, Vermont, August 14, 1847;[3] is interred at Peacham Village Cemetery, Caledonia County, Vermont.[6] His house, built in 1805 and purchased in 1807, stands in the center of town and is a local landmark.[7] His son John was a minister, and his son, William became a lawyer and served as Caledonia County's state's attorney.
References
- Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont, p. 9.
- "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress".
- Catalogue of Officers and Students of Middlebury College, p. 470.
- "National Governors Association".
- "The Political World: Vermont", p. 490.
- Where They're Buried, p. 309.
- "Peacham Corner Historic District", p. 10.
Sources
Books
- Wiley, Edgar J. (1917). Catalogue of Officers and Students of Middlebury College. Middlebury, VT: Middlebury College.
- Redfield, Isaac (1886). Baldwin, Frederick W. (ed.). Biography of the Bar of Orleans County, Vermont: John Mattocks. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press.
- Spencer, Thomas E. (1998). Where They're Buried. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Company. p. 309. ISBN 978-0-8063-4823-0.
Internet
- "John Mattocks". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- "John Mattocks". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- National Park Service (2003). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Peacham Corner Historic District" (PDF). NPS.gov/. Washington, DC: US Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
Magazines
- Benjamin, Park, ed. (October 21, 1843). "The Political World: Vermont". The New World. New York, NY: J. Winchester.
