Tappan Wentworth

Tappan Wentworth
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's8thdistrict
In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855
Preceded by	Horace Mann
Succeeded by	Chauncey L. Knapp
Personal details
Born	Theodore Trapplan Michael Wentworth (1802-02-24)February 24, 1802 Dover, New Hampshire
Died	June 12, 1875(1875-06-12)(aged 73) Lowell, Massachusetts
Resting place	Lowell Cemetery
Political party	Whig
Occupation	Lawyer

Theodore Trapplan "Tappan" Michael Wentworth(February 24, 1802 – June 12, 1875) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as aU.S. RepresentativefromMassachusettsfrom 1853 to 1855.

Early life and career

Wentworth was born inDover, New Hampshire,on February 24, 1802. He received a liberal schooling, and worked as a store clerk inPortsmouth, New Hampshire,andSouth Berwick, Maine.

He then studied law withWilliam Burleigh,wasadmitted to the barin 1826, and commenced practice inYork County, Maine.

Political career

He moved toLowell, Massachusetts,in 1833 and continued the practice of law. Wentworth was a member of the committee which drafted Lowell's city charter, and was a member of the Lowell city council from 1836 to 1841, and was the council president beginning in 1837.

Massachusetts legislature

He served in theMassachusetts House of Representativesin 1851, 1859, 1860, 1863, and 1864, and in theMassachusetts State Senatein 1848, 1849, 1865, and 1866.

Congress

Wentworth was elected as aWhigto theThirty-thirdCongress, defeatingHenry Wilson.He served from March 4, 1853, to March 3, 1855, and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1854 to theThirty-fourthCongress.

Later career

After leaving Congress, Wentworth returned to practicing law. He was also active in several business ventures including railroads and banking, and served as president ofRhode Island's National Rubber Company.

Death and burial

He died in Lowell on June 12, 1875, and was interred inLowell Cemetery.

Family

In 1842 Wentworth married Anne McNeil, a daughter of Solomon McNeil and niece ofJohn McNeil Jr.John McNeil was married to Elizabeth Pierce, the daughter ofBenjamin Pierce,and the sister ofBenjamin Kendrick PierceandFranklin Pierce.Because of the family connection to Franklin Pierce, who waspresidentduring Wentworth's House term, Wentworth was able to maintain cordial relations withDemocratsdespite disagreeing with them politically. As a result, he was sometimes employed by Whigs as a negotiator to create compromises with congressional Democrats and the Pierce administration.

References

• United States Congress."Tappan Wentworth (id: W000297)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Tappan WentworthinHistory of Middlesex County, Massachusetts.Volume 1. 1890. D. Hamilton Hurd, author.

External links

• Works by Tappan WentworthatProject Gutenberg
• Works by or about Tappan Wentworthat theInternet Archive

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress