John WALES, Congress, DE (1783-1863)

WALES, John, a Senator from Delaware; born in New Haven, Conn., July 31, 1783; pursued preparatory studies and was graduated from Yale College in 1801; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1801 and commenced the practice of law at New Haven, Conn.; moved to Philadelphia, Pa., and continued to practice law; moved to Baltimore, Md., in 1813, where he remained until 1815; moved to Wilmington, Del., in 1815 and was president of the National Bank of Wilmington and Brandywine; secretary of State of Delaware 1845-1849; elected as a Whig to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John M. Clayton and served from February 3, 1849, to March 3, 1851; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1851; one of the founders of Delaware College, Newark, Del.; died in Wilmington, Del., on December 3, 1863; interment in Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present