Reuben Booth
Encyclopedia
Reuben Booth was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 and Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1844 to 1846.

Early life

Reuben Booth was born in Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...

. When he was quite young, his family moved to Kent, Connecticut
Kent, Connecticut
Kent is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, alongside the border with New York. The population was 2,858 at the 2000 census. The town is home to three New England boarding schools: South Kent School, Kent School and The Marvelwood School. The Schaghticoke Indian Reservation is also located...

. His father was a man of considerable attainments in science, but in moderate circumstances. He needed the assistance of his son in his business of wool-carding to support the family. Reuben Booth was thus employed in this business until he was about seventeen years old, when, with his father's consent, he commenced preparatory studies of a collegiate course. In 1813, he entered the sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...

 class in Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...

. Shortly afterwards, he received notice of his father's death, which came by drowning. He hastened home and expected to abandon his studies, but friends in Kent loaned him the money required for him to complete his studies. He graduated in 1816.

Immediately after graduation, he commenced the study of law. A year into his law studies, he was also employed as an instructor in the academy in Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....

. He was admitted to the Bar in 1818 and opened an office to practice law in Danbury.

Political Career and Judge

In 1822, Booth was elected a representative of Danbury to the General Assembly of Connecticut. In the same year, he was appointed judge of probate for the district of Danbury, an office he remained in until 1835. In 1830, he was elected state senator. In 1844 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, serving for two one-year terms while Roger Sherman Baldwin
Roger Sherman Baldwin
Roger Sherman Baldwin was an American lawyer involved in the Amistad case, who later became the 17th Governor of Connecticut and a United States Senator.-Early life:...

 was governor, from May 1, 1844 to May 6, 1846. His policy was always conservative.

Booth died at Danbury August 14, 1848 of the dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...

, after an illness of little more than two days. On Friday, August 11, he was engaged in a trial of a case before the court, which he argued with his usual ability, and his death occurred on the following Monday. He was a member of the Episcopalian Church during the latter part of his life, and was buried in the burying-ground of the Episcopalians in Danbury.

Sources

Memorials of Connecticut Judges and Attorneys, Reuben Booth As Printed in the Connecticut Reports
volume 19, pages 158-159

Brief Descriptions of Connecticut State Agencies, Lieutenant Governor
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