Samuel W. Moulton

Samuel Wheeler Moulton (born January 20, 1821 in Wenham , Essex County , Massachusetts , †  June 3, 1905 in Shelbyville , Illinois ) was an American politician . Between 1865 and 1867 and again from 1881 to 1885 he represented the state of Illinois in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Samuel Moulton attended public schools in his home country. He then worked as a teacher in Kentucky and Mississippi for several years . In 1845 he moved to Oakland , Illinois. After studying law and his admission as a lawyer in 1847, he began to work in Sullivan in this profession. From 1849 he lived in Shelbyville, where he continued to practice as a lawyer. Politically, he was initially a member of the Democratic Party . Between 1852 and 1859 he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives . In 1856, he was one of the Democratic electors who officially elected James Buchanan as US President . Between 1859 and 1876 Moulton chaired the Illinois State Education Committee. In 1862 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress . During this time he switched to the Republican Party .

In the congressional elections of 1864 Moulton was elected as a candidate for his new party in the 14th  constituency of Illinois to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , where he succeeded James C. Allen on March 4, 1865 . Until March 3, 1867 he was able to complete a legislative period there. Since 1865, the work of Congress has been overshadowed by tension between Republicans and President Andrew Johnson , which culminated in a narrowly unsuccessful impeachment trial.

After the temporary end of his time in the US House of Representatives, Moulton moved back to the Democrats. In the congressional elections of 1880 he was elected to Congress in the 15th district, where he replaced Albert P. Forsythe . After being re-elected, he was able to complete two further legislative terms in the House of Representatives between March 4, 1881 and March 3, 1885. Since 1883 he represented there as the successor to William Ralls Morrison the 17th district of his state. Also since 1883 he was chairman of the Committee on Mileage . In 1884 he renounced another candidacy.

After his final retirement from Congress, Samuel Moulton worked again as a lawyer. After 1896 he changed sides again by converting to the Republicans again. He died in Shelbyville on June 3, 1905.

Web links

• Samuel W. Moulton in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Samuel W. Moulton in the database of Find a Grave (English)