Thomas Hart Benton
Democratic Senator from Missouri, 1821-1851
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Part of: Daguerreotype Collection (Library
of Congress). Produced by Mathew Brady's studio.
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Thomas Hart Benton (1782-1858) of St. Louis, MO. Father-in-law of John Charles Frémont. Born near Hillsborough, Orange County, N.C., March 14, 1782. Democrat. Member of Tennessee state senate, 1809; U.S. Senator from Missouri, 1821-51; U.S. Representative from Missouri 1st District, 1853-55. Fought a duel with Andrew Jackson, who later became a political ally. His portrait appeared on the U.S. $100 gold certificate from the 1880s until the 1920s. Died in Washington, D.C., April 10, 1858. Interment at Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo. Benton counties in Ark., Ind., Iowa, Minn., Ore. and Wash. are named for him and the town of Benton, PA, is named for him. Turn to the congressional biography for more information about Thomas Hart Benton. |
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