Eliakim "E. P. Walton" Persons Walton (February 17, 1812 – December 19, 1890) was an American journalist, editor and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative from Vermont.

Eliakim Persons Walton
Member of the
United States House of Representatives
from Vermont's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1863
Preceded byGeorge Tisdale Hodges
Succeeded byFrederick E. Woodbridge
Member of the Vermont Senate from Washington County
In office
1874–1878
Serving with Clark King (1st term)
Ira Richardson (2nd term)
Preceded byHeman Carpenter, Clark King
Succeeded byWilliam P. Dillingham, Albert Dwinell
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Montpelier
In office
1853–1854
Preceded byH. H. Reed
Succeeded byAbijah Keith
Personal details
Born(1812-02-17)February 17, 1812
Montpelier, Vermont, US
DiedDecember 19, 1890(1890-12-19) (aged 78)
Montpelier, Vermont, US
Resting placeGreen Mount Cemetery, Montpelier, Vermont
Political partyWhig (before 1854)
Republican (from 1854)
Spouse(s)Sarah Sophia Howes
Clara P. Snell Field
ProfessionNewspaper publisher

Biography

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Walton was born in Montpelier, Vermont, to Ezekiel Parker Walton and Prussia Persons. He attended the common schools and the Washington County, Vermont, grammar school. He was apprenticed to a printer (publishing). He studied law under United States Senator Samuel Prentiss, a distant relative.[1] Walton was admitted to the bar,[2] but did not engage in the practice of law.

He was involved in journalism and was the editor of "Walton's Vermont Register".[3] He lived in Essex, New York, from 1826 until 1827, and edited and printed his first newspaper in Essex, titled "The Essex County Republican".[4] Walton was the organizer and first president of the Editors and Publishers' Association, holding the office of president for more than twenty years.[5] After the retirement of his father, Eliakim Parker Walton, in 1853, he was sole proprietor of the "Vermont Watchman" until 1868.[6]

Walton was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives as a Whig in 1853. He was elected as a Republican candidate to the Thirty-fifth, Thirty-sixth, and Thirty-seventh Congresses, serving from March 4, 1857, until March 3, 1863.[7] He declined to be a candidate for reelection and returned to his editorial and literary labors.

In 1864, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention,[8] and served as a member of the State constitutional convention in 1870.[9] He served in the Vermont State Senate from 1874 and 1878,[10] and was a trustee of the University of Vermont and of the Vermont State Agricultural College from 1875 until 1887. He served as president of the Vermont Historical Society from 1876 until 1890. He edited Volume II of the "Collections of the Vermont Historical Society", including the Haldimand Negotiations papers, and edited eight volumes of "Records of the Governor and Council."

Personal life

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Walton married Sarah Sophia Howes. Following Sarah's death, he married Clara P. Snell Field.[11]

Death

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Walton died on December 19, 1890, in Montpelier, Vermont. He is interred in Green Mount Cemetery in Montpelier.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Duffy, John J. (2003). The Vermont Encyclopedia. UPNE. p. 310. ISBN 9781584650867.
  2. ^ United States Government Printing Office (1918). Congressional serial set. United States Government Printing Office. p. 1087.
  3. ^ Howard, R. H. Howard (1881). A History of New England: Containing Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Counties, Cities and Principal Towns of the Six New England States, Including, in Its List of Contributors, More Than Sixty Literary Men and Women, Representing Every County in New England, Volume 2. Crcoker & Company. p. 336.
  4. ^ "Eliakim Persons Walton". Our Family Tree. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  5. ^ United States Congress (2005). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First Through the One Hundred Eighth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 2005. United States Congress. p. 2113. ISBN 9780160731761.
  6. ^ "Obituaries: Eliakim P. Walton". Vermont Civil War. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  7. ^ "Rep. Eliakim Walton". Govtrack.us. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  8. ^ United States Congress (1913). A Biographical congressional directory: with an outline history of the national congress, 1774-1911 : the Continental Congress, September 5, 1774 - October 21, 1788, the United States Congress, from the first to the sixty-second congress, March 4, 1789 - March 3, 1911. Government Printing Office. pp. 1087.
  9. ^ Hemenway, Abby Maria (1882). The History of the Town of Montpelier, Including that of the Town of East Montpelier, for the First One Hundred and Two Years. Abby Maria Hemenway. pp. 273. eliakim walton.
  10. ^ Hemenway, Abby Maria (1882). The History of the Town of Montpelier, Including that of the Town of East Montpelier, for the First One Hundred and Two Years. Abby Maria Hemenway. pp. 273. eliakim walton.
  11. ^ "Eliakim Persons Walton (1812 - 1890)". Ancestry.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Walton, Eliakim Persons (1812-1890)". The Political Graveyard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 1st congressional district

1857-1863
Succeeded by