Samuel Dexter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Dexter
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| 3rd United States Secretary of the Treasury | |
| In office January 1, 1801 – May 13, 1801 |
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| President | John Adams Thomas Jefferson |
| Preceded by | Oliver Wolcott |
| Succeeded by | Albert Gallatin |
| 4th United States Secretary of War | |
| In office June 1, 1800 – January 31, 1801 |
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| President | John Adams |
| Preceded by | James McHenry |
| Succeeded by | Henry Dearborn |
| United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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| In office March 4, 1799 – May 30, 1800 |
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| Preceded by | Theodore Sedgwick |
| Succeeded by | Dwight Foster |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st district |
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| In office March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 Serving with Fisher Ames, Benjamin Goodhue, and Samuel Holten (General Ticket)
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| Preceded by | Fisher Ames |
| Succeeded by | Theodore Sedgwick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 14, 1761 Boston, Massachusetts, British America |
| Died | May 4, 1816 (aged 54) Athens, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Federalist (before 1812) Democratic-Republican (from 1812) |
| Spouse | Katharine Gordon (m. 1786–1816, his death) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Signature |  |
Samuel Dexter (born May 14, 1761 – died May 4, 1816) was an important American leader. He worked in the government during the early years of the United States. He served in both the Congress and as a top advisor to Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Dexter was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He went to Harvard University and graduated in 1781. After college, he studied law and became a lawyer in 1784. He started his law practice in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.
He was a member of the Federalist Party at first. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1788 to 1790. In 1792, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Later, he became a Senator for Massachusetts, serving from 1799 to 1800. He left the Senate to become the Secretary of War for President John Adams. In 1801, he also served as the Secretary of the Treasury.
After leaving government, Dexter worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. He moved back to Boston in 1805. He later joined the Democratic-Republican Party because he supported the War of 1812. He ran for governor several times but did not win. In 1815, President James Madison asked him to be the Minister to Spain, but Dexter said no. He passed away in 1816 while visiting his son.
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Early Life and Education
Samuel Dexter was born in Boston, which was then part of the British colony of Massachusetts. His father, also named Samuel Dexter, was a politician in Massachusetts. His grandfather, Samuel Dexter, was a minister.
Samuel Dexter went to Harvard University and finished his studies in 1781. After that, he studied law with Levi Lincoln Sr. in Worcester, Massachusetts. Lincoln later became the Attorney General for the United States. Dexter became a lawyer in 1784 and began his work in Lunenburg, Massachusetts.
Working in Congress
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Samuel Dexter was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and served there from 1788 to 1790. He then became a Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a member of the Federalist Party.
Later, he was elected to the United States Senate. He served as a Senator from March 4, 1799, to May 30, 1800. In December 1799, he wrote a special speech for the Senate to honor George Washington after Washington passed away. Dexter served in the Senate for less than a year. He left his Senate job to become the United States Secretary of War.
Secretary of War and Treasury
As the Secretary of War, Samuel Dexter worked to improve the military. He asked Congress to allow more officers to be appointed for important staff duties.
In December 1800, the Secretary of the Treasury resigned. President John Adams asked Dexter to take on this role temporarily. Dexter served as Secretary of the Treasury from January to May 1801. When Thomas Jefferson became president, he wanted to appoint Albert Gallatin as the new Secretary of the Treasury. Dexter agreed to stay in the job for the first two months of Jefferson's presidency until Gallatin could officially start.
Later Years
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In 1805, Samuel Dexter moved back to Boston and continued his work as a lawyer. He changed his political party from Federalist to Democratic-Republican. He did this because he supported the War of 1812.
He tried to become the governor of Massachusetts in 1814, 1815, and 1816, but he was not elected. Dexter was also a strong supporter of the temperance movement. This movement encouraged people to drink less alcohol. He led the first group in Massachusetts that worked for temperance. In 1800, he became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Death and Legacy
Samuel Dexter passed away on May 4, 1816, in Athens, New York. He was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His nephews included Simon Newton Dexter and Andrew Dexter Jr.. His son, Samuel W. Dexter, founded the town of Dexter, Michigan. The town of Dexter, Maine was also named after Samuel Dexter. A ship called the USRC Dexter (1830) was named in his honor too.
