| Samuel Dexter | |
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| In office January 1, 1801 – May 13, 1801 |
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| President | John Adams Thomas Jefferson |
| Preceded by | Oliver Wolcott, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Albert Gallatin |
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| In office May 13, 1800 – January 31, 1801 |
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| President | John Adams |
| Preceded by | James McHenry |
| Succeeded by | Henry Dearborn |
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| In office March 4, 1799 – May 30, 1800 |
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| Preceded by | Theodore Sedgwick |
| Succeeded by | Dwight Foster |
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| In office March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 |
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| Preceded by | Fisher Ames |
| Succeeded by | Theodore Sedgwick |
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| Born | May 14, 1761 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | May 4, 1816 (aged 54) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Profession | Law |
| Signature |  |
Samuel Dexter (May 14, 1761 – May 4, 1816) was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinet.
Life
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to the Rev. Samuel Dexter, the 4th minister of Dedham, he graduated from Harvard University in 1781 and then studied law at Worcester under Levi Lincoln, Sr., the future Attorney General of the United States. After he passed the bar in 1784, he began practicing in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.
He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and served 1788 to 1790. He was elected to the 3rd Congress by way of the United States House of Representatives and then elected as Federalist to the United States Senate. In December 1799, he memorably wrote the memorial eulogy to George Washington upon the first president's death. His house in Dedham stands to today.
He served for less than a year as he was appointed United States Secretary of War by President John Adams in 1800. During his time at this station he urged congressional action to permit appointment and compensation of field officers for general staff duty.
Upon Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott, Jr.'s resignation in December 1800, Adams appointed Dexter as interim Secretary. He then briefly conducted the affairs of the War Office. He administered the oath of office to Chief Justice John Marshall, and later declined the ambassadorship to Spain.
He returned to Boston in 1805 and resumed the practice of law. He left the Federalist party to espouse Republican views on the War of 1812, and he was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1814 and 1815. He was an ardent supporter of the temperance movement and presided over its first formal organization in Massachusetts.
He died the same year shortly before his 55th birthday and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Simon Newton Dexter was his nephew.
Samuel W. Dexter, founder of Dexter, Michigan, was his son.
Namesake
The USRC Dexter (1830) was named in his honor.
External links
- Samuel Dexter at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-5-20
- Samuel Dexter at Find a Grave Retrieved on 2009-5-20
| An article in the History of Dedham series |
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| Topics |
| United States House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by Fisher Ames |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st congressional district 1793 – 1795 alongside: Fisher Ames, Benjamin Goodhue, Samuel Holten on a General ticket |
Succeeded by Theodore Sedgwick |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Theodore Sedgwick |
United States Senator (Class 2) from Massachusetts 1799 – 1800 Served alongside: Benjamin Goodhue |
Succeeded by Dwight Foster |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by James McHenry |
United States Secretary of War 1800 - 1801 |
Succeeded by Henry Dearborn |
| Preceded by Oliver Wolcott, Jr. |
United States Secretary of the Treasury Served Under: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson 1801 |
Succeeded by Albert Gallatin |
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
