Henry Williams Dwight (February 26, 1788 – February 21, 1845) was a lawyer and politician who became U.S. Representative from

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Life

Born February 26, 1788 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, his father was also named Henry Williams Dwight (1757–1804) and mother was Abigail Welles (1763–1840). His grandfather was Joseph Dwight (1703–1765), and mother traced her ancestry to Thomas Welles (1590–1659). Dwight was a trustee of

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...

in Williamstown, Massachusetts from 1829-1837. He was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1809 and practiced in Stockbridge. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

Dwight served as aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel on the staff of General Whiton, and kept the title colonel for the rest of his life. He served as member of the Massachusetts State house of representatives in 1818. Dwight was elected as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of deep ...

to the Seventeenth Congress starting on March 4, 1821. He was reelected as an Adams-Clay Federalist to the Eighteenth Congress. Dwight was elected as an Adams candidate to the Nineteenth and Twentieth Congresses. Dwight was reelected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress until March 3, 1831. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1830 to the Twenty-second Congress. He was again a member of the State house of representatives in 1834. He received an honorary degree from William College, and as a trustee nominated Mark Hopkins as a replacement professor in 1830. He bred purebred sheep, horses, and cattle. He married Frances Fowler (1797–after 1874) on November 10, 1824. They had one daughter who died young, and two sons. Henry Williams Dwight, 3rd was born September 23, 1825, and died May 16, 1861. James Fowler Dwight was born January 30, 1830, joined the Union Army in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and rose to rank of colonel. Dwight died in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on February 21, 1845. He was interred in Stockbridge Cemetery, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwight, Henry Williams 1788 births 1845 deaths People from Stockbridge, Massachusetts Politicians from Berkshire County, Massachusetts United States Army officers Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts Massachusetts National Republicans Williams College alumni National Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives Military personnel from Massachusetts 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives

Life

See also

References