William Simonton

William Simonton (born February 12, 1788 near Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , †  May 17, 1846 in South Hanover , Pennsylvania) was an American politician . Between 1839 and 1843 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .

Career

William Simonton was first taught by his mother and then attended a private school. After a subsequent medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and his admission to the bar in 1810, he began to practice in Dauphin County in this profession. Between 1823 and 1826 he was also a district auditor there. He was an early follower of the free school system enshrined in law in 1834. Politically, he became a member of the Whig Party , founded in the mid-1830s .

In the congressional election of 1838 , Simonton was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , in the tenth constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded Luther Reily on March 4, 1839 . After re-election, he was able to complete two legislative terms in Congress until March 3, 1843 . The period after 1841 was marked by tension between President John Tyler and the Whigs. In addition, a possible annexation of the Republic of Texas , which has been independent of Mexico since 1836, was already being discussed.

After the end of his time in the US House of Representatives, William Simonton was no longer politically active. He died on May 17, 1846 in South Hanover.

Web links

• William Simonton in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• William Simonton in the database of Find a Grave (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
Luther Reily	United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania (10th constituency) March 4, 1839 - March 3, 1843	Richard Brodhead