PREVIOUS MONTH'S FEATURED QUESTION ABOUT NEW JERSEY HISTORY
Dear NJHM:
Can you give me some information about Jonathan Dayton?
Sheila
Dear Sheila:
The following is a short biographical sketch of Jonathon Dayton from "The Story of New Jersey" by William Myers, published in 1945:
"It will be remembered that Jonathan Dayton was not elected as a member of the Philadelphia Convention [known as the Constitutional Convention] by the New Jersey Legislature until June 5, 1787, when that convention was already in session. He did not appear and take his seat as a member until June 2st. He was born in Elizabethtown [now Elizabeth], New Jersey, on October 16, 1760, and graduated from Princeton in the class of 1776! He was a captain of the American army during the Revolution and fought at Yorktown. He was a member of the New Jersey Assembly during the years 1786-7 and was reputed at 27 years to be the youngest member of the Philadelphia Convention. After the National Government was established Dayton became a prominent member of the newly-formed Republican Party and, as such, served in the House of Representatives of the United States in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Congresses and was the Speaker of the 5th. He was United States Senator from New Jersey from 1779 until 1805. He became involved, more or less remotely, in some mysterious way in the Burr Conspiracy. He died October 9, 1824."
The "WPA Guide to 1930's New Jersey" adds that Dayton was a Brigadier General and the namesake of the village of Dayton in New Jersey (now part of South Brunswick), and also one of the founders of Dayton, Ohio.
We hope this helps, and contact us if you require any additional information.