Thomas Dwight (politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dwight was a United States Representative from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

.

Life

Thomas Dwight was born in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...

 on October 29, 1758.
His father was Colonel Josiah Dwight (1715–1768) of the new England Dwight family
New England Dwight family
The New England Dwight family had many members who were military leaders, educators, jurists, authors, businessmen and clergymen.Around 1634 John Dwight came with his wife Hannah, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy Dwight and John Dwight, from Dedham, Essex, England to North America where the town...

, and mother was Elizabeth Buckminster (1731–1798). He was the oldest of five siblings.
He pursued preparatory studies, and graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...

 in 1778. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Springfield. On April 14, 1791 he married Hannah Worthington. She was born June 17, 1761, with maternal grandfather Reverend Samuel Hopkins (1721–1803).
Dwight was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...

 1794–1795, and to the Massachusetts State Senate for two terms, from 1796 to 1803 and 1814 to 1818.

He was elected as a Federalist
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...

 to the Eighth Congress
8th United States Congress
- Senate :* President: Aaron Burr * President pro tempore: John Brown , October 17, 1803 – February 26, 1804** Jesse Franklin , March 10, 1804 – November 4, 1804** Joseph Anderson , January 15, 1805 – December 1, 1805- House of Representatives :...

 from March 4, 1803 to March 3, 1805. He served as selectman of the town of Springfield, and was a member of the Governor’s council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...

. He retired from political life and engaged in the practice of his profession in Springfield until his death on January 2, 1819. His interment was in Peabody Cemetery.

His widow died July 10, 1833. Their children were:
  1. Mary Stoddard Dwight was born January 26, 1792, married John Howard on December 18, 1818, and died July 20, 1836. They had four daughters.
  2. John Worthington Dwight was born October 31, 1793 and died February 12, 1836 unmarried.
  3. Elizabeth Buckminster Dwight was born February 18, 1801, married Charles Howard, and died October 7, 1855. They had six children.
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