Thomas Sappington Explained

Thomas Sappington
State Senate:Maryland
District:Western Shore
Term Start:1831
Term End:1836
State Delegate2:Maryland
Term Start2:1825
Term End2:1827
Birth Place:Libertytown, Maryland, U.S.
Death Place:Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Spouse:Sarah Coale
Louisa C. Klein
Relatives:Richard F. Sappington (grandson)

Thomas Sappington (– July 18, 1857) was an American politician from Maryland. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates and Maryland Senate.

Early life

Thomas Sappington was born around 1789 in Libertytown, Maryland, to Ann (née Ridgely or Richelieu) and Francis Brown Sappington.[1] [2] [3] His father was a physician in Libertytown and served as a state delegate.[2] [4] His mother was a relative of Cardinal Richelieu.[2] He was educated in schools in Frederick County.[3]

Career

As a young man, Sappington traveled with Mr. Beard to Kentucky to visit his uncle, John Sappington. He settled in Beardstown.[2] [3] While in Kentucky, he served in a cavalry regiment in the War of 1812. He served under William Henry Harrison and was at the Battle of Tippecanoe.[1] [2] After the war, he ran a store in Libertytown with his brother Francis B. for a short time.[2] [5] He also worked as a farmer.[3]

Sappington was first a Whig and later became a Democrat. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Frederick County from 1825 to 1827.[4] [6] He served as a member of the Maryland Senate, representing the Western Shore from 1831 to 1836. He was president and president pro tempore of the senate in 1834.[6] [7] He chaired the 1833 reform convention in Baltimore.[8]

Sappington was appointed as register of wills by Governor Thomas Pratt in 1844 or 1845. He served in that role until 1851.[2] [6] [5] He then was editor of the Frederick Herald for three years.[6] [5] At the time of his death, he was affiliated with the American (Know Nothing) Party.[3]

Personal life

Sappington married Sarah Coale, daughter of Richard Cole and sister of James M. Coale. They had nine sons and two daughters, including James, John, Thomas, Henry, Greenberry R., Sidney, Augustus, William Coale, Francis B., Caroline (or Catherine) and Sarah "Sally" R.[1] [2] [3] He later married Louisa (Louise) C. Klein, daughter of Charles S. Klein. They had five sons, Richelieu, Richard D., Wentworth, Francis Brown and George.[2] [3] His son Greenberry served in the Maryland senate.[3] His grandson Richard F. Sappington was a state delegate.[9]

Sappington died on July 18, 1857, in Frederick.[6] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Warfield, J. D. . The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland . Kohn & Pollock . 1905 . 379 . . 2024-04-28.
  2. Book: Portrait and Biographical Record of the Sixth Congressional District, Maryland . Chapman Publishing Company . 1898 . 267–268 . . 2024-04-28.
  3. Book: History of Frederick County, Maryland . 2 . Williams . T. J. C. . McKinsey . Folger . L. R. Titsworth & Co. . 1910 . 797, 885, 1420–1421, 1449–1450 . . 2024-04-28.
  4. Web site: Historical List, House of Delegates, Frederick County (1790-1974) . Maryland Manual On-Line . . 2024-03-20 . 2024-04-28.
  5. Book: Scharf, J. Thomas . History of Western Maryland . 1 . Louis H. Everts . 1882 . 480, 529, 602 . . 2024-04-28.
  6. News: Death of Col. Sappington . 1857-07-23 . . 2 . . 2024-04-27.
  7. Web site: Historical List, Senate, Western Shore (1777-1837) . Maryland Manual On-Line . . 2014-01-10 . 2024-04-28.
  8. Book: Ridgway, Whitman H. . Community Leadership in Maryland, 1790–1840 . The University of North Carolina Press . 1979 . 66 . . 2024-04-28.
  9. News: Frederick . 1930-04-07 . The Salisbury Times . 1 . . 2024-04-28.