| Thaddeus Campbell Sweet | |
|---|---|
| Representative for New York's 32nd congressional district | |
| In office 1923–1928 |
|
| Preceded by | Luther W. Mott |
| Succeeded by | Francis D. Culkin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 16, 1872 Phoenix, New York |
| Died | May 1, 1928 (aged 55) Whitney Point, New York |
| Political party | Republican Party |
Thaddeus Campbell Sweet (November 16, 1872 - May 1, 1928) was an American manufacturer and politician from New York. He represented New York's 32nd congressional district from 1923 to 1928.
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He was born on November 16, 1872 in Phoenix, New York to Anthony Wayne Sweet and Sarah Elizabeth Campbell. He attended the public schools, and graduated from Phoenix Academy and High School. Then he entered business and for two years served as a traveling salesman. In 1895, he began the manufacture of paper and was President of the Sweet Paper Manufacturing Co. He also engaged in banking. He was town clerk of Phoenix from 1896 to 1899.
He was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly from 1910 to 1920, and was Speaker from 1914 to 1920.
He was a delegate from New York to the Republican National Conventions in 1916 and 1924.
He was elected to the 68th United States Congress in 1923 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Luther W. Mott and served from November 6, 1923 until his death in office, having been re-elected to the 69th and 70th United States Congress.
Thaddeus Sweet was the first sitting member of Congress to die in an airplane accident. Shortly after breakfast on May 1, 1928, he and the pilot Lt. Bushrod Hoppin, U.S. Army, took off in a new Army observation plane from Bolling Field to fly to Oswego, New York, where he was to make a speech. Lt. Hoppin, known as a careful pilot, flew into a storm between Binghamton, New York and Cortland, New York.[1]
He thought it best to land and selected a field on a stock farm near Whitney Point, New York. The field was knobbly, and the airplane bounced and turned a somersault. Sweet, having unbuckled his safety belt, was pitched against the cockpit wall, and killed by a head injury. Lt. Hoppin, belted in his seat, was unbruised.[2] Sweet was buried at the Rural Cemetery at Phoenix, New York.
The Sweet Memorial Building was dedicated to him in 1929.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.[4]
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frank L. Smith |
New York State Assembly, Oswego County 1910–1920 |
Succeeded by Ezra Barnes |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Al Smith |
Speaker of the New York State Assembly 1914 - 1920 |
Succeeded by H. Edmund Machold |
| United States House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Luther W. Mott |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 32nd congressional district 1923 - 1928 |
Succeeded by Francis D. Culkin |