Allen T. Caperton

Allen Taylor Caperton (November 21 1810 – July 26 1876) was an American politician who was a United States Senator serving as a Democrat, as well as previous positions.

Early life

Caperton, son of Hugh Caperton and Jane Erskine, was born near Union, Monroe County, Virginia (now West Virginia) on November 21, 1810. At the age of 14, he traveled by horseback to Huntsville, Alabama, to attend school. He later graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, then graduated from Yale College in 1832. He studied law in Staunton, Virginia, was admitted to the bar and practiced law. He was married to Harriett Echols.

Political career

He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1841-1842. He was elected a member of the Virginia Senate in 1844, and served until 1848. In 1850 and 1861 he was a delegate to the State constitutional conventions, as well as once again being a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1857 to 1861. During the Civil War he was elected by the legislature of Virginia to be a member of the Confederate States Senate in which he served until 1865. After the war, he was the first ex-Confederate elected to the United States Senate, entering office as a Democrat from West Virginia and served from March 4, 1875, until his death in Washington, D.C., July 26, 1876. He was interred in Green Hill Cemetery, Union, West Virginia.

References

*