Richard Hanson Weightman
Richard Hanson Weightman | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico Territory's At-large district | |
In office March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 (Delegate) | |
Preceded by | district established |
Succeeded by | José Manuel Gallegos |
Personal details | |
Born | December 28, 1816 Washington, D.C. |
Died | August 10, 1861 near Springfield, Missouri | (aged 44)
Resting place | Springfield National Cemetery Springfield, Missouri[1] |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Susan Bradford Coxe |
Alma mater | University of Virginia |
Occupation | newspaper editor |
Military service | |
Allegiance | |
Branch/service |
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Years of service |
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Rank | |
Battles/wars |
Richard Hanson Weightman (December 28, 1816 – August 10, 1861) was an antebellum delegate to the United States Congress from the Territory of New Mexico.[2] He was also a district commander of the secessionist Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War, and was killed in action at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri.
Biography[]
Born in Washington, D.C., Weightman attended private schools there and in Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1834. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1835–1837 (but did not graduate). He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841 in the District of Columbia, but did not practice.[2]
He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and on May 28, 1846, was elected captain of Clark's Battalion, Missouri Volunteer Light Artillery, in the Mexican War, where he participated in the Battle of Sacramento.[3] He served as Additional Paymaster, Volunteers, in the Army in 1848 and 1849. He moved to New Mexico Territory in 1851 and edited a newspaper in Santa Fe. He was appointed agent for Indians in New Mexico in July 1851.[2] While in Santa Fe in August 1854, he killed François Xavier Aubry (December 3, 1824 – August 18, 1854) who was a French Canadian merchant and explorer of the American Southwest. When Aubry drew his revolver, Weightman stabbed Aubry with a Bowie knife.[4]
Weightman was elected as a Democrat and the Territory's first Delegate to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1852, but resumed newspaper work. He moved to Kickapoo and Atchison, Kansas, in 1858, and went to Independence, Missouri, in 1861.[2]
Weightman was elected colonel of the First Regiment Cavalry, Eighth Division, Missouri State Guard on June 11, 1861. He was promoted to command of the First Brigade, Eighth Division, June 20, 1861, and led it competently at the Battle of Carthage on July 5.
Colonel Richard Hanson Weightman was killed while leading his brigade at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri on August 10, 1861, and was interred on the battlefield near Springfield, Missouri.[2]
Notes[]
- ^ "Col Richard Hanson Weightman". Find A Grave. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Weightman, Richard Hanson". United States Congress. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ Hannings, Bud (2014). The U.S. Mexican War: A Complete Chronology. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 9780786476480.
- ^ Twitchell, Ralph Emerson (1909). The History of the Military Occupation of the Territory of New Mexico. Arno Press. p. 386.
References[]
- United States Congress. "Richard Hanson Weightman (id: W000255)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-5-11
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.
- 1816 births
- 1861 deaths
- Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico Territory
- People from Washington, D.C.
- Missouri State Guard
- Confederate States military personnel killed in the American Civil War
- People of Missouri in the American Civil War
- United States Military Academy alumni
- American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
- 19th-century American politicians
- New Mexico Democrats
- United States politicians killed during the Civil War