Charles C. Stratton

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Charles C. Stratton (1796-1850)

For the little person of the same name, see General Tom Thumb.

Charles Creighton Stratton (March 6, 1796- March 30, 1859) was a politician from New Jersey, who served in the United States House of Representatives and was later the 15th Governor of New Jersey. He was born, and died, in Swedesboro, in Gloucester County, New Jersey. He is interred at Episcopal Cemetery in Swedesboro, New Jersey^[1].

He graduated from Rutgers College in 1814, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a member of the State general assembly in 1821, 1823, and again in 1829. He was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth United States Congress (1837-1839); presented credentials as a Member-elect to the Twenty-sixth Congress, but the House declined to seat him ; reelected to the Twenty-seventh United States Congress (1841-1843). He chose not to run again in 1842; Stratton serves as a member of the State constitutional convention in 1844. ^[2]

The new 1844 New Jersey State Constitution provided for direct election of a Governor for a single three-year term. Stratton ran on the Whig ticket, and campaigned on a platform opposing the powerful railroad interests of the state. The Democratic candidate was Pennsylvania-born John R. Thomson, who was a stockholder in the railroad and a vigorous advocate of internal improvements. ^[3]

Stratton won, and served as Governor from January 21, 1845, to January 17, 1848. After his term he resumed agricultural pursuits. He married Sarah Taggart of Philadelphia in 1854. Because of ill health, he resided in Europe in 1857 and 1858.

Although he had no children, he had two notable nephews. Benjamin Franklin Howey was a Republican member of the Forty-eighth United States Congress (1883-1885) from the 4th Congressional District. Another nephew, Thomas Preston Carpenter, served as an Associate Justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
New Jersey State Library biographical information for Charles C. Stratton - document is damaged as of July 6, 2006.

This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Preceded by: Philemon Dickerson, Samuel Fowler, Thomas Lee, James Parker, Ferdinand Schureman Schenck, William Norton Shinn, and William Chetwood on a General ticket	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's At-large congressional district alongside John Bancker Aycrigg, William Halstead, John Patterson Bryan Maxwell, Joseph Fitz Randolph, and Thomas Jones Yorke on a General ticket 1837-1839	Succeeded by: Joseph Fitz Randolph, William Raworth Cooper, Philemon Dickerson, Joseph Kille, Daniel Bailey Ryall, and Peter Dumont Vroom on a General ticket
Preceded by: Joseph Fitz Randolph, William Raworth Cooper, Philemon Dickerson, Joseph Kille, Daniel Bailey Ryall, and Peter Dumont Vroom on a General ticket	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's At-large congressional district alongside John Bancker Aycrigg, William Halstead, John Patterson Bryan Maxwell, Joseph Fitz Randolph, and Thomas Jones Yorke on a General ticket 1841-1843	Succeeded by: Lucius Q.C. Elmer, George Sykes, Isaac G. Farlee, Littleton Kirkpatrick, William Wright in separate districts
Preceded by: Daniel Haines	Governor of New Jersey 1845 – 1848	Succeeded by: Daniel Haines