Richard Sheppard Molony (June 28, 1811 – December 14, 1891) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. Born in

Northfield, New Hampshire Northfield is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,872 at the 2020 census. History European settlers first arrived in Northfield in the early 1700s. Initially, Northfield was incorporated as part of ...

, Molony studied medicine. He graduated from

Dartmouth Medical School The Geisel School of Medicine is the medical school of Dartmouth College located in Hanover, New Hampshire. The fourth oldest medical school in the United States, it was founded in 1797 by New England physician Nathan Smith. It is one of the sev ...

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...

, in 1838 and commenced the practice of his profession in

Belvidere, Illinois Belvidere is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Illinois, United States. It is settled on the Kishwaukee River in far northern Illinois. Known as the 'City of Murals', Belvidere is home to several public art installations througho ...

. He served as delegate to the

1852 Democratic National Convention The 1852 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that met from June 1 to June 5 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was held to nominate the Democratic Party's candidates for president and vice president in the 1852 elec ...

. Molony was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the

32nd United States Congress The 32nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1851, ...

(March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1852. He moved to

Humboldt, Nebraska Humboldt is a city in Richardson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 800 at the 2020 census. History Humboldt was platted in 1868. It was named after Humboldt, Tennessee, where an early settler had stayed while fighting in ...

, and engaged in agricultural pursuits 1866–1891. In 1882 he declined the Democratic nomination for

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from Nebraska on account of ill health. He was again a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago in 1884. He died in

, December 14, 1891. He was interred in Belvidere Cemetery,

References

1811 births 1891 deaths Geisel School of Medicine alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois Nebraska Democrats Politicians from Merrimack County, New Hampshire People from Humboldt, Nebraska 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Illinois-politician-stub