Silas Betton was born in Windham on August 26, 1767. His father, James Betton, was a well known politician who served as a delegate to the state Congress at Exeter, NH during the American Revolutionary War. On December 26, 1775, James Betton was appointed to a committee that was charged with "[drawing] up a plan for the government of this colony during the present contest with Great Britain." He later became an agent to the Continental Congress. Betton was entrusted with transferring large sums of money that were to be used to pay and outfit soldiers. In 1777 he was tasked with sending a debt certificate in the amount of $171,100 from the Continental Congress to the state of New Hampshire. The amount would be over $3,000,000 in 2015. He eventually married Elizabeth Dickey of Londonderry and the couple had 10 children; the tenth child being Silas Betton.
Silas spent his childhood on the family farm in Windham, and eventually went on to attend Dartmouth College; he graduated in 1787. He began to study law and was admitted to the bar in 1790. That same year he moved to Salem, NH where he started his own law office. It was as a lawyer that Betton signed the document below. The document appears to concern a client of his, Mr. Huse, who settled an action against him. It is also signed by John Dinsmoor, formerly of Windham, who was a justice of the peace at the time.
Silas spent his childhood on the family farm in Windham, and eventually went on to attend Dartmouth College; he graduated in 1787. He began to study law and was admitted to the bar in 1790. That same year he moved to Salem, NH where he started his own law office. It was as a lawyer that Betton signed the document below. The document appears to concern a client of his, Mr. Huse, who settled an action against him. It is also signed by John Dinsmoor, formerly of Windham, who was a justice of the peace at the time.
1798 document signed by Silas Betton
Silas Betton served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1797 to 1799. He later became a member of the state Senate and served in that capacity from 1801 to 1803. Betton found his life's calling as a politician and was eventually elected on the ticket of the Federalist party to the Eight and Ninth United States Congresses, where he served as a state representative from 1803 to 1807. He resumed practicing law after leaving Congress. However, he later served as member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, again, from 1810 - 1811. From 1813 to 1818, he served as the high sheriff of Rockingham County.
Shortly after he moved to Salem, Betton married Mary Thornton, the daughter of Matthew Thornton, the signer of the Declaration of Independence. Together the couple had seven children, all born in Salem. Silas Betton died on January 22, 1822 at the age of 54. He was interred at the Old Parish Cemetery in Salem. Mary Thornton Betton survived him by over two decades, passing away in either 1845 or 1846.
Shortly after he moved to Salem, Betton married Mary Thornton, the daughter of Matthew Thornton, the signer of the Declaration of Independence. Together the couple had seven children, all born in Salem. Silas Betton died on January 22, 1822 at the age of 54. He was interred at the Old Parish Cemetery in Salem. Mary Thornton Betton survived him by over two decades, passing away in either 1845 or 1846.