Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/203

 DAYTON

DAYTON

DAYTON, Alston Gordon, representative, was born in Philippi, Va.. Oct. 18, 1857; son of Spencer and Sarali (Bush) Dayton ; grandson of Henry Daj'ton, and a descendant of the New Jer- sey family of Daytons. He was graduated from the University of West Virginia in 1878. and was admitted to the bar Oct. 18, 1878. In 1879 he ■was appointed to fill out an unexpired term as prosecuting attorney of Upshur county, W. Va., was prosecuting attornej' of Barbour county, 1884- 88. He was a Republican representative in the 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th and 58th congresses, 1895-1900.

DAYTON, Elias, soldier, was born in Elizabeth Town, N.J., in July, 1737; son of Jonathan Dayton, who settled in Elizabeth Town about 1730 and died Oct. 5, 1776. Elias entered the military service of the province as a lieutenant, March 19, 1759, and fought in the British army against the French, in the "Jersey Blues." He was promoted captain, March 29, 1760; served under Wolfe at Quebec; and in 1764, led a com- pany of state militia against the Indians at Detroit. He was a member of the committee of safety and on Jan. 23, 1776, commanded the Elizabeth Town volunteers in the capture of the Blue Mountain Valley, a British transport off EUzabeth Town. He was appointed colonel of the 3d battalion. New Jersey regiment, Feb. 9, 1776, with which he served in the defence of Ticonderoga. In 1779 he accompanied General Sullivan on his western expedition. On July 20, 1780. he was placed in command of the New Jersey brigade. In 1781 he aided in suppressing the mutiny of the New Jersey line. He partici- pated in the battles of Springfield, Monmouth, Brandywine, Germantown and Y'orktown, and had three horses shot under him while leading his troops, one at Springfield, one at German- town and one at Crosswick's Bridge. He Avas made a brigadier-general, Jan. 8, 1783, and major- general of state militia, June 15, 1793. He served as a member of the state legislature and was a delegate to the Continental congress, 1787-88. He was mayor of the borough from 1796 to 1805, with the exception of a single year. He was elected president of the New Jersey society cf the Cincinnati upon its organization and retained the office during his lifetime. His daughter Hannah was married in April, 1776, to Gen. Matthias Ogden, who died, March 31, 1791, and his son, Elias Bayley, was married, Jan. 19, 1786, to Elizabeth Catharine, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Bradbury Chandler. General Dayton died in Elizabethtown. N.J.,Oct. 22, 1807.

DAYTON, Jonathan, senator, was born in Elizabeth Town, N.J., Oct. 16, 1760: son of Gen. Elias Dayton. Revolutionary soldier. He was graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1776, and in 1778 joined the army as a paymaster. I'^

1779 he accompanied General Sullivan on hia western expedition and in 1780 was a captain in his father's regiment, the 3d New Jersey regu- lars. He was present at many of the battles in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and was promoted to important commands including one under Lafayette at the battle of Yorktown. After the war he was a member of the state council for some years and speaker in 1790. He was a delegate from New Jersey to the Federal constitutional convention of 1787, his father having declined the appointment in his favor. He represented his state in the 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th congresses, 1791-99, and was speaker of the house during the 4th and 5th congresses, 1795- 99. In April, 1799, he was elected to the United States senate and served a full term. President Adams commissioned him brigadier-general with the privilege of retaining his seat in the senate. He was arrested in 1807 on the charge of con- spiring with Aaron Burr in treasonable projects. He gave bail, which was subsequently released, and he was never brought to trial. This inci- dent and the disruption of the Federal party caused him to withdraw from public life. He was afterward elected repeatedly to the council of the New Jersey legislatvire and held office in his native town. He was interested with Symmes and others in the settlement of western military lands, and the town of Dayton, Ohio, was named for him. The College of New Jersey conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. in 1798. He died in Elizabethtown, N.J., Oct. 9, 1824.

DAYTON, William Lewis, senator, was born in Baskingridge, N.J., Feb. 17, 1807; son of Joel and Nancy (Lewis) Dayton ; grandson of Robert and Mary (Owen) Dayton, and of Ed- ward and Nancy (Crowell) Lewis ;

great-grandson of Jonathan Dayton ; and a descendant of Ralph Dayton, who came from England to Long Island about 1650. His maternal grandfather, Edward Lewis, was commis- sary-general in the American army dur- ing the Revolution. William was grad- uated at the College of New Jersey in 1825, studied law

with Peter D. Vroom in Somerville, N.J., and was admitted to the bar in 1830. He was elected <^o the state council in 1837 and was made chair-

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