George Edward Wales (May 13, 1792 – January 8, 1860) was an American politician from Vermont who served as a U.S. Representative.

George Edward Wales
George E. Wales, Member of Congress from Vermont
Member of the
United States House of Representatives
from Vermont's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829
Preceded byHenry Olin
Succeeded byHorace Everett
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
1822–1824
Personal details
Born(1792-05-13)May 13, 1792
Westminster, Vermont, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 1860(1860-01-08) (aged 67)
Hartford, Vermont, U.S.
Political partyWhig Party (United States)
SpouseAmanda Lathrop Wales[1]
Alma materDartmouth College, University of Vermont
ProfessionPolitician, Lawyer

Biography

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Wales was born in Westminster, Vermont, and attended the common schools in Westminster.[2] He studied law with Stephen R. Bradley in Westminster and with Titus Hutchinson (who later served as chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court) in Woodstock and was admitted to the bar in 1812.[3] He moved to Hartford, Vermont, in 1813 and began the practice of law.

He served as clerk and treasurer of the White River Bridge Company from 1818 until 1825.[4] He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1822 until 1824, and served as Speaker in 1822, 1823 and 1824.[5] Wales earned honorary degrees from Dartmouth College in 1823 and the University of Vermont in 1825.[6]

Wales was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a National Republican and served in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Congresses, March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1829.[7] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1828 to the Twenty-First Congress.[8] After leaving Congress he resumed the practice of law.

He later joined the Whig Party. Wales was elected town clerk in Hartford in 1840, and served in that position until his death.[9] From 1847 to 1850 he was Judge of the Probate Court for the district which included Windsor County.[10]

Wales was a trustee of Norwich University from 1845 until 1857.[11]

Personal life

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Wales married Amanda Lathrop Wales in 1813, and they had seven children.[12]

Wales joined the Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Vermont in 1812, and was the state Grand Master from 1825 to 1827.[13]

Death

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Wales died on January 8, 1860, in Hartford, and was interred in Hartford Point Cemetery.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Amanda Lathrop Wales". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  2. ^ Dodge, Prentiss Cutler (1912). Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. 1912. Ullery Publishing Company. pp. 70.
  3. ^ United States Government Printing Office (1918). Congressional serial set. United States Government Printing Office. p. 1083.
  4. ^ Ellis, William Arba (1911). Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor. Capital City Press. pp. 19.
  5. ^ Vermont History. 1921. p. 154.
  6. ^ Tucker, William Howard (1889). History of Hartford, Vermont, July 4, 1761-April 4, 1889: The First Town on the New Hampshire Grants Chartered After the Close of the French War. Free Press Association. p. 384.
  7. ^ "Rep. George Wales". Govtrack.us. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  8. ^ "WALES, George Edward, (1792 - 1860)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  9. ^ Vermont Historical Society (1921). Proceedings of the Vermont Historical Society. Vermont Historical Society. pp. 154.
  10. ^ "Wales, George Edward (1792-1860)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  11. ^ Ellis, William Arba (1911). Norwich University, 1819-1911; Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor. Capital City Press. pp. 19.
  12. ^ "Amanda Lathrop Wales". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  13. ^ Tucker, William Howard (1889). History of Hartford, Vermont, July 4, 1761-April 4, 1889: The First Town on the New Hampshire Grants Chartered After the Close of the French War. Free Press Association. p. 384.
  14. ^ "George E. Wales". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 21, 2012.

Further reading

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  • History of Hartford, Vermont, July 4, 1761-April 4, 1889: The First Town on the New Hampshire Grants Chartered After the Close of the French War by William Howard Tucker, published by the Free Press Association in 1889.
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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
1822–1824
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Vermont's 3rd congressional district

1825-1829
Succeeded by