Richard Stockton (April 17, 1764March 7, 1828) was a lawyer who represented

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in the

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and later served in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, 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 Artic ...

. He was the first U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, holding that office from 1789 to 1791, and ran unsuccessfully for

vice president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

in the 1820 election as a member of the

Federalist Party The Federalist Party was a conservativeMultiple sources: * * * * * * * * and nationalist American political party and the first political party in the United States. It dominated the national government under Alexander Hamilton from 17 ...

, which did not nominate a candidate for president.

Life

Stockton was born in

Princeton, New Jersey The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...

, the son of Richard Stockton, a signer of the

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. He was tutored privately, and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

) in 1779. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1784 and commenced practice in Princeton. Stockton was a presidential elector in the

1792 Events January–March * January 9 – The Treaty of Jassy ends the Russian Empire's war with the Ottoman Empire over Crimea. * January 25 – The London Corresponding Society is founded. * February 18 – Thomas Holcrof ...

and 1800 presidential elections. He was elected as a Federalist to the

to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Frederick Frelinghuysen and served from November 12, 1796, to March 4, 1799, but declined to be a candidate for reelection. He was an unsuccessful candidate for

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

in 1801, 1803, and 1804. He 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 Thirteenth Congress, serving from March 4, 1813, to March 3, 1815, and declined to be a candidate for renomination to the

Fourteenth Congress The 14th 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 the Old Brick Capitol in Washingt ...

. Stockton was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...

in 1815.American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
/ref> After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of his profession. He died at Morven, near Princeton, and was interred in Princeton Cemetery in Princeton.

Family

In 1788, Stockton married Mary Field (1766–1837). They were the parents of nine children, including Mary Field, Richard, Julia, Robert Field, Horatio, Caroline, Samuel Witham, William Bradford, and Annis. His brother Lucius Horatio Stockton served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. His son Commodore

Robert F. Stockton Robert Field Stockton (August 20, 1795 – October 7, 1866) was a United States Navy commodore, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican–American War. He was a naval innovator and an early advocate for a propeller-driven, steam- ...

was the Military Governor of California who defeated the Mexican army in 1846. He later became a senator from New Jersey like his father before him. His daughter Annis Stockton was the first wife of U.S. Senator John Renshaw Thomson.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First Through the One Hundred Eighth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 2005, Inclusive. p. 1983
'' United States Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office,'' (2005)

at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 Politics of the United States, American political figures and List of United States political families, political families, along with other informa ...

* , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Stockton, Richard (1764-1828) 1764 births 1828 deaths Burials at Princeton Cemetery Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey Federalist Party United States senators Lawyers from Mercer County, New Jersey Politicians from Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University alumni Stockton family (New Jersey) United States attorneys for the District of New Jersey United States senators from New Jersey 1820 United States vice-presidential candidates 1792 United States presidential electors 1800 United States presidential electors 18th-century American lawyers 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 18th-century United States senators Candidates in the 1801 United States elections Candidates in the 1803 United States elections Candidates in the 1804 United States elections