John Appleton
Encyclopedia
John Appleton was born in Beverly, Massachusetts
and raised in Cumberland County, Maine
, USA. He graduated from Bowdoin College
in 1834, also studied at Cambridge Law School, and was admitted to the Cumberland County
bar in 1837, commencing practice in Portland, Maine
.
He also did editorial work on the Eastern Argus and became editor
in 1838. He later became a register of probate
for Cumberland County in 1840 and again from 1842 to 1844. His wife, Susan Appleton, gave birth to their son, Eben Dodge Appleton, on September 8, 1843. Appleton became Chief Clerk
of the United States Navy Department in 1845 serving to 1848. He was then transferred to the United States State Department under the same position, serving from January to April 1848. He then served as United States Minister to Bolivia
from 1848 to 1849. In 1850 he was elected to the 32nd United States Congress
serving from 1851 to 1853, not running for re-election in 1852. In 1855 he served as Secretary of the Legation in London, England from February 19 to November 16. He resumed practicing law until he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State
in 1857 serving to 1860 when he resigned to serve as United States Ambassador to Russia, keeping this post until 1861. He then retired and later died on August 22, 1864 in Portland, Maine
. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery
in Portland.
and had served in the 32nd United States Congress
. They were second cousins once removed: John being the great, great-grandson, and William being the great-grandson of Isaac Appleton and Elizabeth Sawyer.
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
and raised in Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
, USA. He graduated from Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
in 1834, also studied at Cambridge Law School, and was admitted to the Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
bar in 1837, commencing practice in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.
He also did editorial work on the Eastern Argus and became editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
in 1838. He later became a register of probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
for Cumberland County in 1840 and again from 1842 to 1844. His wife, Susan Appleton, gave birth to their son, Eben Dodge Appleton, on September 8, 1843. Appleton became Chief Clerk
Chief Clerk
The Chief Clerk, between 1789 and 1853, was the second-ranking official within the United States Department of State, known as the Department of Foreign Affairs before September 5, 1789. Section 2 of the Act of Congress of July 27, 1789 The Chief Clerk, between 1789 and 1853, was the second-ranking...
of the United States Navy Department in 1845 serving to 1848. He was then transferred to the United States State Department under the same position, serving from January to April 1848. He then served as United States Minister to Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
from 1848 to 1849. In 1850 he was elected to the 32nd United States Congress
32nd United States Congress
The Thirty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853, during the third and...
serving from 1851 to 1853, not running for re-election in 1852. In 1855 he served as Secretary of the Legation in London, England from February 19 to November 16. He resumed practicing law until he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
in 1857 serving to 1860 when he resigned to serve as United States Ambassador to Russia, keeping this post until 1861. He then retired and later died on August 22, 1864 in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery
Evergreen Cemetery (Portland, Maine)
Evergreen Cemetery is a garden style cemetery in Portland, Maine, United States. With of land, it is the second largest cemetery in the state. It was established in 1855 and became the city's main cemetery after the Western Cemetery. As of March 2011, only of the were used for cemetery-related...
in Portland.
Namesake
Both he and William Appleton were born in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and had served in the 32nd United States Congress
32nd United States Congress
The Thirty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1851 to March 3, 1853, during the third and...
. They were second cousins once removed: John being the great, great-grandson, and William being the great-grandson of Isaac Appleton and Elizabeth Sawyer.
Further reading
- Appleton, John, North for Union: John Appleton’s Journal of a Tour to New England Made by President Polk in June and July 1847, Edited by Wayne Cutler, Nashville, TN Vanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
Press, 1986.
External links
- John Appleton at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...