Samuel Paynter

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Samuel Paynter
26th Governor of Delaware
In office January 20, 1824 – January 16, 1827
Preceded by	Charles Thomas
Succeeded by	Charles Polk Jr.
Member of the Delaware Senate
In office January 3, 1807 – January 6, 1813 January 7, 1823 – January 6, 1824
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives
In office January 3, 1797 – January 6, 1801
Personal details
Born	(1768-08-24)August 24, 1768 Federalist
Spouse	Elizabeth Rowland
Residence(s)	Lewes, Delaware
Occupation	Merchant

Samuel Paynter (August 24, 1768 – October 2, 1845) was an American merchant and politician from Drawbridge, in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Paynter was born at Drawbridge in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, son of Samuel and Meritta Hazzard Paynter. His ancestor, Richard Paynter came to Lewes, Delaware before 1700, and his grandfather, Samuel Paynter, bought land in Broadkill Hundred in 1732. Samuel, our subject, married Elizabeth Rowland in 1796 and they had six children, Mary, Elizabeth, Sally, Samuel Rowland, John Parker, and Alfred Shockley. They were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes.

Professional and political career

Drawbridge, as its name suggests, was the point at which land traffic crossed the Broadkill River, about halfway from Milton to the Delaware Bay. It is where State Route 1 crosses the Broadkill River today. Paynter's father, another Samuel, established a general store there. The business was quite successful, and made the family wealthy enough for Samuel Jr. to be a director of the Farmer's Bank at Georgetown for 25 years.

Paynter was a member of the Federalist Party like the majority in Sussex County. While elsewhere the Federalists were declining as an effective political force, in lower Delaware they organized themselves well, and were far more acceptable to the agrarian, Anglican and Methodist establishment, than the Irish Presbyterians who dominated the majority Democratic-Republican Party in very different New Castle County. Statewide elections were competitive, but the three counties were similar in population, and so the Federalists almost always won, both in the General Assembly and governorship.

Paynter was, therefore, in the majority in his long years of experience in the

. After his term ended he returned to his home and mercantile business at Drawbridge.

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor)
Year	Assembly		Senate Majority	Speaker		House Majority	Speaker
1824	48th		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Joshua Burton
1825	49th		Federalist	Jesse Green		Federalist	Joshua Burton
1826	50th		Federalist	Charles Polk Jr.		Federalist	Arnold S. Naudain

Death and legacy

Paynter died at Drawbridge in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County, and is buried in the St. Peter's Episcopal Churchyard at Lewes. His son, Samuel R. Paynter, also served in the Delaware General Assembly.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State senators had a three-year term and state representatives had a one-year term. The governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three-year term.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Began office	Ended office	notes
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 3, 1797	January 2, 1798
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 2, 1798	January 1, 1799
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 1, 1799	January 7, 1800
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	January 7, 1800	January 6, 1801
State Senator	Legislature	Dover	January 6, 1807	January 2, 1810
State Senator	Legislature	Dover	January 2, 1810	January 5, 1813
State Treasurer	Executive	Dover	January 2, 1817	January 5, 1818
Associate Justice	Judiciary	Dover	February 14, 1818	October 6, 1820	State Supreme Court
State Senator	Legislature	Dover	January 7, 1823	January 6, 1824
Governor	Executive	Dover	January 20, 1824	January 16, 1827

Delaware General Assembly service
Dates	Assembly	Chamber	Majority	Governor	Committees	District
1797	21st	State House	Federalist	Gunning Bedford Sr.		Sussex at-large
1798	22nd	State House	Federalist	Daniel Rogers		Sussex at-large
1799	23rd	State House	Federalist	Richard Bassett		Sussex at-large
1800	24th	State House	Federalist	Richard Bassett		Sussex at-large
1807	31st	State Senate	Federalist	Nathaniel Mitchell		Sussex at-large
1808	32nd	State Senate	Federalist	George Truitt		Sussex at-large
1809	33rd	State Senate	Federalist	George Truitt		Sussex at-large
1810	34th	State Senate	Federalist	George Truitt		Sussex at-large
1811	35th	State Senate	Federalist	Joseph Haslet		Sussex at-large
1812	36th	State Senate	Federalist	Joseph Haslet		Sussex at-large
1823	47th	State Senate	Federalist	Joseph Haslet		Sussex at-large

Election results
Year	Office		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1823	Governor		Samuel Paynter	Federalist	4,348	52%		David Hazzard	Democratic-Republican	4,051	48%

References

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609–1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co.
  ISBN 0-87413-493-5
  .

Images

• Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.

External links

• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
• Delaware’s Governors
• Samuel Paynter at Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

Party political offices
Preceded by James Booth	Governor of Delaware 1823	Succeeded by Charles Polk Jr.
Political offices
Preceded by Charles Thomas	Governor of Delaware 1824–1827	Succeeded by Charles Polk Jr.