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Jonathan Dayton (October 16, 1760–October 9, 1824) was an American politician from the U.S. state of New Jersey. He was a signer of the United States Constitution and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving as the third Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and later the U.S. Senate. Arrested in 1807 for treason in connection with Aaron Burr's conspiracy, Dayton was never tried but his political career never recovered. The city of Dayton, Ohio is named for him.

Dayton was born in Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth) in New Jersey. He was the son of Elias Dayton, a merchant who was prominent in local politics. He graduated in 1776 from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). During the Revolutionary War Dayton served in the 3rd New Jersey Regiment and attained the rank of captain by the age of 19.

After the war, Dayton studied law and established a practice, dividing his time between land speculation, law, and politics. After serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention (of which he was the youngest member, at the age of 26Abeka United States History: Heritage of Freedom, page 126), he became a prominent Federalist legislator. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789, he did not take his seat, but was elected and took his seat in 1791. He served as speaker for the Fourth and Fifth Congress. Like most Federalists, he supported the fiscal policies of Alexander Hamilton, and suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion. He supported the Louisiana Purchase and opposed the repeal of the Judiciary Act of 1801.

Dayton married Susan Williamson and they had two daughters, but the date of their marriage is unknown.

Dayton met Aaron Burr in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and became involved in an infamous conspiracy in which Burr apparently intended to conquer parts of what is now the western United States and create an empire. An illness prevented Dayton from accompanying Burr's aborted 1806 expedition, but in 1807 Dayton was arrested for treason. He was released and never brought to trial but his national political career never recovered.

After resuming his political career in New Jersey, he died in 1824 in his hometown and was interred in a vault in St. John's Episcopal churchyard in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

The city of Dayton, Ohio was named after him because he owned 250,000 acres (1,000 km²) of land in Ohio and because he supported the building of the Miami Canal without hesitation. However, Jonathan Dayton never set foot in the city.

He is also the namesake of Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield, New Jersey.

Political career

• New Jersey General Assembly, 1786–1787, 1790
  • Speaker, 1790
• Delegate to Federal Constitutional Convention, 1787
• Delegate to Continental Congress, 1787–1788
• New Jersey State Council, 1790
• United States House of Representatives, March 4, 1791–March 4, 1799
  • Speaker of the House, Fourth and Fifth Congresses
  • Chairman of Committee on Elections, Third Congress
• United States Senate, March 4, 1799–March 4, 1805
• New Jersey Assembly, 1814–1815

External link

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