John Clopton

John Clopton (born February 7, 1756 in Tunstall , New Kent County , Colony of Virginia , †  September 11, 1816 ibid) was an American politician . Between 1795 and 1816 he represented the state of Virginia in the US House of Representatives twice .

Career

John Clopton attended the College of Philadelphia until 1776 , which later became the University of Pennsylvania . After studying law and becoming a lawyer, he began to work in this profession. During the Revolutionary War , he served as a first lieutenant and captain in the Virginia State Militia. He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine . After the war, Clopton also embarked on a political career. Between 1789 and 1791 he was a member of the Virginia House of Representatives . In the late 1790s he became a member of the Democratic Republican Party founded by Thomas Jefferson .

In the congressional election of 1794 Clopton was elected to the US House of Representatives in the 13th constituency of Virginia, where he succeeded Samuel Griffin on March 4, 1795 . After being re-elected, he was able to complete two legislative terms in Congress until March 3, 1799 . From 1799 to 1801 he was a member of the Virginia Privy Council , a government body of the state of Virginia. In the elections of 1800 Clopton was again elected to Congress in the 13th district of his state, where he replaced Littleton Waller Tazewell on March 4, 1801 . After seven re-elections, he could remain in Congress until his death on September 11, 1816. From 1803 to 1813 he represented the newly established 22nd and from 1813 the also newly founded 23rd constituency of Virginia. Between 1807 and 1809 he was chairman of the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business .

During his tenure as a congressman in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase greatly expanded United States territory. In 1804 the twelfth amendment was ratified. The British-American War of 1812 also fell during his time in the US House of Representatives . After Clopton's death, future US President John Tyler was elected as his successor in Congress.

Web links

• John Clopton in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• John Clopton in the database of Find a Grave (English)