Solomon Foot

Solomon Foot
United States Senator from Vermont
In office March 4, 1851 – March 28, 1866
Preceded by	Samuel S. Phelps
Succeeded by	George F. Edmunds
Personal details
Born	(1802-11-19)November 19, 1802 Cornwall, Vermont, U.S.
Died	March 28, 1866(1866-03-28) (aged 63) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Whig, Republican
Spouse(s)	Emily Fay Foot, Anna Dora Hodges Foot
Children	Helen Eliza Foot
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Teacher

Solomon Foot (November 19, 1802 – March 28, 1866) was a Vermont lawyer, state representative and later United States senator who spent more than 25 years in elected office.

Biography

Foot was born on November 19, 1802, in Cornwall the son of Dr. Solomon and Betsey Crossett Foot. Orphaned at the age of nine, his self-education was sufficient to enable him to teach in district schools and fit himself for college. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1826 and was tutor for four years at Middlebury, Preceptor of Castleton Academy, and Professor of natural philosophy at the Vermont Medical School at Castleton. While teaching, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1831, and began practice in Rutland, Vermont.

Career

Foot served as a state representative briefly in 1833, and was delegate to Vermont State Constitutional Convention in 1836. He was again a state representative from 1836 to 1838. He served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives in 1838. He was married in 1839 to Emily Fay of Rutland. They had one daughter, Helen Eliza Foot. Emily died on May 2, 1842. His second wife was Mary A. (Hodges) Dana Foot, who had a son, William Hodges Dana.

Foot was prosecuting attorney, from 1836 to 1842. He was elected as a Whig congressman in 1843 and again in 1845, serving in the Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1847. He was elected as a Whig to the United States Senate in 1850; reelected as a Republican in 1856 and 1862, and served from March 4, 1851, until his death on March 28, 1866. He served as President pro tempore of the Senate from 1861 to 1864.

Death

Foot died on March 28, 1866, in Washington, D.C. Funeral services were held in the Chamber of the United States Senate. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Vermont.

External links

• Solomon Foot at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• The Political Graveyard
• Find A Grave
• Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography
• Govtrack US Congress

Political offices
Preceded by Ebenezer N. Briggs	Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives 1847–1848	Succeeded by William C. Kittredge
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Hiland Hall	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 1st congressional district March 4, 1843 – March 4, 1847	Succeeded by William Henry
United States Senate
Preceded by Samuel S. Phelps	United States Senator (Class 1) from Vermont March 4, 1851 – March 28, 1866 Served alongside: William Upham, Samuel S. Phelps, Lawrence Brainerd, Jacob Collamer and Luke P. Poland	Succeeded by George F. Edmunds
Political offices
Preceded by Benjamin Fitzpatrick	President pro tempore of the United States Senate February 16, 1861 – April 13, 1864	Succeeded by Daniel Clark