U.S. Senator. After graduating from the College of New Jersey in 1825, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1830 and commenced to practice law in Freehold, New Jersey. He was a member of the New Jersey State Council (1837-38), and an associate judge of the New Jersey State Supreme Court (1838-41). In 1842, he was elected as a Whig to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Samuel L. Southard, serving until 1851. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection, he served as the 21st Attorney General of New Jersey (1857-61), and in 1861 he was appointed the U.S. Ambassador to France, serving there until his death. His son William Lewis Dayton Jr. served as a Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Paris when his father was U.S. Ambassador to France. He also served as U.S. Minister to the Netherlands (1882-85).
U.S. Senator. After graduating from the College of New Jersey in 1825, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1830 and commenced to practice law in Freehold, New Jersey. He was a member of the New Jersey State Council (1837-38), and an associate judge of the New Jersey State Supreme Court (1838-41). In 1842, he was elected as a Whig to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Samuel L. Southard, serving until 1851. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection, he served as the 21st Attorney General of New Jersey (1857-61), and in 1861 he was appointed the U.S. Ambassador to France, serving there until his death. His son William Lewis Dayton Jr. served as a Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Paris when his father was U.S. Ambassador to France. He also served as U.S. Minister to the Netherlands (1882-85).
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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