Barnes Compton
Barnes Compton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's5thdistrict | |
| In office 1891–1894 | |
| Preceded by | Sydney Emanuel Mudd I |
| Succeeded by | Charles E. Coffin |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's5thdistrict | |
| In office 1885–1890 | |
| Preceded by | Hart B. Holton |
| Succeeded by | Sydney Emanuel Mudd I |
| Treasurer of Maryland | |
| In office 1874–1885 | |
| Governor | William Pinkney Whyte James Black Groome John Lee Carroll William T. Hamilton Robert Milligan McLane |
| Preceded by | John W. Davis |
| Succeeded by | John S. Gittings |
| President of the Maryland State Senate | |
| In office 1868–1870 | |
| Preceded by | Christopher C. Cox |
| Succeeded by | Henry Snyder |
| Member of theMaryland Senate | |
| In office 1867–1872 | |
| Member of theMaryland House of Delegates | |
| In office 1860–1861 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 16, 1830 Port Tobacco, Maryland |
| Died | December 2, 1898(aged 68) Laurel, Maryland |
| Resting place | Loudon Park Cemetery |
| Political party | |
| Spouse |
Margaret Holiday Sothoron
(m.1858) |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | Princeton College(A.B.) |
Barnes Compton(November 16, 1830 – December 2, 1898) was aRepresentativeof thefifth congressional districtofMarylandand aTreasurer of Maryland.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Barnes Compton was born on November 16, 1830, inPort Tobacco,Charles County, Marylandto Mary Clarissa (née Barnes) and William Penn Compton.[1][3]His parents both died when he was young, and he was raised until 1843 by his grandfather, John Barnes.[1]He attended theCharlotte Hall Military AcademyinSt. Mary's County, Marylandfor his formal education, and graduated fromPrinceton Collegewith a bachelor's degree in June 1851.[1][3]At a young age, he became the second largest slaveholder in Charles County.[1]
Career
[edit]After college, Compton returned home and engaged in agricultural pursuits and as a planter. He first ran for theState House of Delegatesunder theWhigticket in 1855, but lost.[1]He re-ran in 1859 as aDemocratand served as a member of the State House of Delegates in 1860 and 1861.[1]
In the 1861 session, held inFrederick,a number of legislative members were suspected of Confederate sympathies and were arrested upon arrival in Frederick. Compton evaded arrest by fleeing across thePotomac.In 1865, Compton was arrested and imprisoned at theOld Capitolunder suspicion of aiding and abettingJohn Wilkes Boothafter theLincoln Assassination,but the information was proven false and he was released after four days.[1]
He was also a member of theState Senatein 1867, 1868, 1870, and 1872, during the 1868 and 1870 sessions he served as the Senate president in 1868. Compton also served as State Tobacco Inspector in 1873 and 1874 and asTreasurer of Marylandfrom 1874 to 1885.[1][3]
Compton then moved toLaurelinPrince George's County, Marylandin 1880 and was elected as aDemocratto theForty-ninthandFiftieth United States Congress(March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889). He presented credentials asMember-electto theFifty-first United States Congressand served from March 4, 1889, to March 20, 1890, when he was succeeded bySydney E. Mudd, Sr.,who contested the election. A committee was appointed to investigatevoter fraudand ruled in favor of Mudd.[1]Compton was later elected to theFifty-secondandFifty-third United States Congressand served from March 4, 1891, until his resignation, effective May 15, 1894 when he was then appointed by PresidentGrover Clevelandas Naval Officer of thePort of Baltimore,a post in which he served from 1894 to 1898.[1][3]
Compton taught agriculture at theMaryland Agricultural College.He also sat on the board of trustees for the Charlotte Hall Military Academy, the School Commission of Charles County, and theMaryland Hospital for the Insane.In 1890, he was a cofounder and appointed director of theCitizens National Bank of Laurel.[3]In 1898, he was made president of the Guarantee Building and Loan Association of Baltimore.[1]
Personal life
[edit]He married Margaret Holiday Sothoron ofSt. Mary's Countyon October 27, 1858.[3]Together, they had four sons and two daughters:[1]
- John Henry Sothoron Compton
- Key Compton
- William Penn Compton
- Barnes Compton
- Mary Barnes Compton
- Elizabeth Somerville
He was the great-grandson ofPhilip Key.[1]He was a friend ofArthur Pue Gorman.[1][3]
Death
[edit]Compton died on December 2, 1898, of paralysis inLaurel, Maryland.[1]He was interred inLoudon Park CemeteryinBaltimore.[1][3]
References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijklmnopq"Barnes Compton (1830–1898) Extended Biography".Annapolis, Maryland: Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series). 2008. MSA SC 3520-1545.
- ^Arps, Walter E. (May 9, 2009).Maryland Mortalities, 1876–1915, from the (Baltimore) Sun Almanac.Heritage Books.ISBN9781585492541– via Google Books.
- ^abcdefgh"Mr. Compton is Dead".The Baltimore Sun.December 3, 1898. p. 6.RetrievedApril 7,2021– viaNewspapers.com.
External links
[edit]
Media related toBarnes Comptonat Wikimedia Commons- Works by or about Barnes ComptonatInternet Archive
- Barnes ComptonatFind a Grave
- United States Congress."Barnes Compton (id: C000660)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1830 births
- 1898 deaths
- Maryland state senators
- Members of the Maryland House of Delegates
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland
- State treasurers of Maryland
- Presidents of the Maryland Senate
- University of Maryland, College Park faculty
- People from Port Tobacco Village, Maryland
- People from Laurel, Maryland
- Members of the United States House of Representatives who owned slaves
- Princeton University alumni
- Maryland Whigs
- Maryland Democrats
- 19th-century American legislators
- Electoral fraud in the United States
- 19th-century Maryland politicians