History of Newbury Old Town, (Essex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Tristram Dalton, senator, was born in Newbury, Mass., May 28, 1738. He attended Dummer academy, Byfield, Mass., and was graduated from Harvard in 1755. He inherited from his father a large fortune and studied law as an accomplishment. He devoted his time to the cultivation of a large landed estate called "Spring Hill" in West Newbury, where he entertained, among other eminent men, George Washington, John Adams, Louis Philippe and Talleyrand. He represented his state in the convention of committees of the New England provinces, Dec. 25, 1776. He served in the state legislature as representative, speaker of the house, and senator. In 1788 he was elected a U.S. senator, and being assigned by lot the short term he served through the 1st congress, 1789-91. In the latter year, when the city of Washington, D.C., was founded, he invested his entire fortune in land there and lost all, through the mismanagement of his business agent. At the same time a vessel freighted with his furniture and valuable library was lost on the voyage from Newburyport to Washington, and he was left penniless. The government at once tendered him a choice of several official positions and he accepted that of surveyor of the port of Boston. He was a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences. He died in Boston, Mass., May 30, 1817.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Newbury Old Town, (Essex County) Massachusetts

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