Samuel W. Dana

Samuel Wittlesey Dana (February 13, 1760–July 21, 1830) was an American lawyer and politician from Middletown, Connecticut. He represented Connecticut in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

Born in Wallingford, Connecticut, Dana pursued academic studies and graduated from Yale College in 1775. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1778, and practiced in Middletown, Connecticut. He was a member of the Connecticut General Assembly from 1789 to 1796. Afterward he was elected to the United States House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Uriah Tracy, and served from January 3 1797 to May 10 1810. There he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Elections, and was one of the managers appointed by the House of Representatives in 1798 to conduct the impeachment proceedings against William Blount, a Senator from Tennessee.

Dana was elected as a Federalist in 1810 to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Hillhouse. He was reelected in 1815 and served from December 4 1810, to March 3 1821. Afterwards he was mayor of Middletown from 1822 until his death. He was also the presiding judge of the Middlesex County Court from 1825 until his death. He was interred in Washington Street Cemetery.

References

* American National Biography; Dictionary of American Biography; Dana, Samuel Whittlesey [presumed author] . A Specimen of Republican Institutions. Philadelphia: James Humphreys, 1802.

USRepSuccessionBox
before= Uriah Tracy
state=Connecticut
district=AL
years= January 3, 1797 – May 10, 1810
after= Ebenezer HuntingtonU.S. Senator box
before= James Hillhouse
state=Connecticut
class=1
years= June 11, 1810 – March 3, 1821
after= Elijah Boardman