Samuel Paynter

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Samuel Paynter
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 20 1824
term_end = January 16 1827
predecessor = Charles Thomas
successor = Charles Polk, Jr.
birth_date = birth date|1768|8|24|mf=y
birth_place = Sussex County, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1845|10|2|1768|8|24
death_place = Lewes, Delaware
spouse = Elizabeth Rowland
party = Federalist
residence = Lewes, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = merchant
profession =
religion = Episcopalian

Samuel Paynter (August 24 1768 – October 2 1845) was an American merchant and politician from Drawbridge, in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Paynter was born August 24 1768 at Drawbridge in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, son of Samuel and Meritta Hazzard Paynter. His ancestor, Richard Paynter came to Lewes, Delaware before 1700, and his grandfather, Samuel Paynter, bought land in Broadkill Hundred in 1732. Samuel, our subject, married Elizabeth Rowland in 1796 and they had six children, Mary, Elizabeth, Sally, Samuel Rowland, John Parker, and Alfred Shockley. They were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes.

Professional career

Drawbridge, as its name suggests, was the point at which land traffic crossed the Broadkill River, about halfway from Milton to the Delaware Bay. It is where State Route 1 crosses the Broadkill River today. Paynter's father, another Samuel, established a general store there. The business was quite successful, and made the family wealthy enough for Samuel Jr. to be a director of the Farmer's Bank at Georgetown for 25 years.

Political career

Paynter was a member of the Federalist Party like the majority in Sussex County. While elsewhere the Federalists were declining as an effective political force, in lower Delaware they organized themselves well, and were far more acceptable to the agrarian, Anglican and Methodist establishment, than the Irish Presbyterians who dominated the majority Democratic-Republican Party in very different New Castle County. Statewide elections were competitive, but the three counties were similar in population, and so the Federalists almost always won, both in the General Assembly and governorship.

Paynter was, therefore, in the majority in his long years of experience in the Delaware General Assembly. Elected first in 1796, he served in the State House for four sessions from 1797 through 1800. He was then elected to the State Senate in 1806 and served in seven sessions from 1807 through 1813. Finally, he served in the State Senate again in the 1823 session. Defeating his neighbor from Milton, David Hazzard, the Democratic-Republican candidate, Paynter was elected Governor of Delaware in 1823 and served from January 20 1824 until January 16 1827. During his tenure as Governor construction finally began on the new Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. After his term ended he returned to his home and mercantile business at Drawbridge.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1824
48th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Jesse Green|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Joshua Burton
-
1825
49th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Jesse Green|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Joshua Burton
-
1826
50th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Charles Polk, Jr.|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Arnold S. Naudain
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

Paynter died October 2 1845 at Drawbridge in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware and is buried at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes. His son, Samuel R. Paynter, also served in the Delaware General Assembly.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators had a three year term and State Representatives had a one year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1796
January 3 1797
January 2 1798|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1797
January 2 1798
January 1 1799|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1798
January 1 1799
January 7 1800|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1799
January 7 1800
January 6 1801|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1806
January 6 1807
January 2 1810|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1809
January 2 1810
January 5 1813|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Treasurer
Executive
Dover|
January 2 1817
January 5 1818|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Associate Justice
Judiciary
Dover|
February 14 1818
October 6 1820
State Supreme Court
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1822
January 7 1823
January 6 1824|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1823
January 20 1824
January 16 1827|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly "service"
-! Dates! Assembly! Chamber! Majority! Governor! Committees! District
-Party shading/Federalist
1797
21st
State House
Federalist
Gunning Bedford, Sr.|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1798
22nd
State House
Federalist
Daniel Rogers|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1799
23rd
State House
Federalist
Richard Bassett|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1800
24th
State House
Federalist
Richard Bassett|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1807
31st
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1808
32nd
State Senate
Federalist
George Truitt|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1809
33rd
State Senate
Federalist
George Truitt|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1810
34th
State Senate
Federalist
George Truitt|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1811
35th
State Senate
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1812
36th
State Senate
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Sussex "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1823
47th
State Senate
Federalist
Joseph Haslet|
Sussex "at-large"
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1823
Governor|
Party shading/Federalist |Samuel Paynter
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |4,348
Party shading/Federalist |52%|
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |David Hazzard
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |4,051
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |48%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title= Memoirs of the Senate |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Roger A. Martin |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 1995 |id=
*cite book |title= History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last= Scharf |first= John Thomas |coauthors= |work= |publisher= L. J. Richards & Co |location= Philadelphia |pages= |year= 1888 |id= ISBN 0-87413-493-5

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-07.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery] "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover."

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=124b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Samuel Paynter at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/payne-payrow.html#RI218FQZX|title= Samuel Paynter at the "Political Graveyard"]
*Find A Grave|id=7493912
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#paynter Samuel Paynter at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]