Samuel C. Crafts

American politician (1768–1853)

Samuel Chandler Crafts

United States Senator
from Vermont
In office
April 23, 1842 - March 3, 1843
Preceded by| Samuel Prentiss
Succeeded by| William Upham
12th Governor of Vermont
In office
October 10, 1828 – October 18, 1831
Lieutenant| Henry Olin
Mark Richards
Preceded by| Ezra Butler
Succeeded by| William A. Palmer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 5th district
In office
March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1825
Preceded by| District created
Succeeded by| John Mattocks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821
Preceded by| Charles Marsh
Succeeded by| District eliminated
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1796
1800–1803
1805
Personal details
Born| (1768-10-06)October 6, 1768
Woodstock, Colony of Connecticut, British America
Died| November 19, 1853(1853-11-19) (aged 85)
Craftsbury, Vermont, U.S.
Political party| Democratic-Republican, National Republican, Whig
Spouse| Eunice Wood Crafts
Profession| Politician, judge
Signature|

Samuel Chandler Crafts (October 6, 1768 - November 19, 1853) was a United States representative, Senator and the 12th governor of Vermont.

## Early life

[edit]

Born in Woodstock in the Colony of Connecticut, Crafts graduated from Harvard College in 1790[1] and moved to Vermont with his parents Mehitible Chandler (sister of the painter Winthrop Chandler), and Ebenezer Crafts, who founded the town of Craftsbury by settling there in 1791. He married Eunice Todd Beardsley and the couple had two children.

## Career

[edit]

Crafts was town clerk from 1799 to 1829 and was a delegate to the Vermont Constitutional convention in 1793 where he was the youngest member.[2] 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 of Censors from 1809 to 1813.[2] This Council consisted of twelve men and shared executive power with the Governor. He was Chief Judge of the Orleans County Court from 1810 to 1816. Crafts was elected to the Fifteenth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1825. He again served as a member of the governor's council in 1825 and 1826.

Crafts was Governor of Vermont from 1828 to 1831. When he was a member of the Vermont constitutional convention of 1829, he served as its president. Crafts was clerk of Orleans County from 1836 to 1839. In 1842 he was appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Samuel Prentiss. On October 26, 1842, he was elected to complete the remainder of Prentiss's term. Crafts served in the Senate from April 23, 1842, to March 3, 1843. He was not a candidate for a full term, and was succeeded by William Upham.[3]

## Death

[edit]

Samuel Crafts retired to his farm in Craftsbury where he died in 1853. He is interred at North Craftsbury Cemetery, North Craftsbury.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Samuel C. Crafts". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
2. ^ a b Williams, Warren A. "Samuel C. Crafts". Freemasons.org. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
3. ^ Hughes, Jeremiah (October 29, 1842). "States of the Union: Vermont". Niles' Weekly Register. Baltimore, MD. p. 130.
4. ^ "Samuel C. Crafts". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 30, 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* United States Congress. "Samuel C. Crafts (id: C000851)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
* Samuel C. Crafts at Find a Grave
* National Governors Association

Party political offices

First |  National Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
1827  | Succeeded by

Henry Olin

Preceded by

Ezra Butler

|  National Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont
1828, 1829, 1830 | Succeeded by

Heman Allen

Preceded by

Heman Allen

|  National Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont
1832 | Succeeded by

None

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by

Daniel Chipman
Luther Jewett
Chauncey Langdon
Asa Lyon
Charles Marsh
John Noyes

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's at-large congressional district
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821
Served alongside: Heman Allen, William Hunter, Orsamus C. Merrill, Charles Rich, Mark Richards, Ezra Meech, Rollin C. Mallary and William Strong | Succeeded by

(none)

Preceded by

(none)

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 5th congressional district
March 4, 1821 - March 3, 1825  | Succeeded by

John Mattocks

Political offices
Preceded by

Ezra Butler

|  Governor of Vermont
1828–1831  | Succeeded by

William A. Palmer

U.S. Senate
Preceded by

Samuel Prentiss

|  U.S. senator (Class 3) from Vermont
April 23, 1842 - March 3, 1843
Served alongside: Samuel S. Phelps | Succeeded by

William Upham

Honorary titles
Preceded by

Elisha Mathewson

|  Oldest living U.S. senator
October 14, 1853 - November 19, 1853  | Succeeded by

Jonathan Roberts

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