Seth Barton (attorney)

Seth Barton (December 5, 1795 – December 29, 1854) was an American attorney and government official who was active in Alabama and Louisiana. He served the federal government as Solicitor of the United States Treasury and Chargé d'affaires in Chile.

Seth Barton
7th United States Ambassador to Chile
In office January 5, 1848 – May 22, 1849
President	James K. Polk
Preceded by	George William Crump
Succeeded by	Balie Peyton
5th Solicitor of the United States Treasury
In office March 25, 1845 – May 27, 1847
Preceded by	Charles B. Penrose
Succeeded by	Ransom H. Gillet
Personal details
Born	(1795-12-05)December 5, 1795 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	December 29, 1854(1854-12-29) (aged 59) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Cause of death	Yellow fever
Parent(s)	Seth Barton Sarah Emerson Maxwell
Alma mater	Washington and Lee University
Profession	Politician, lawyer

Biography

Barton was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 5, 1795, the son of shipping merchant Seth Barton and Sarah Emerson (Maxwell) Barton.^[1][2] He attended Washington and Lee University, where he studied law and attained admission to the bar.^[3]

In 1821 he relocated to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he continued to practice law and became involved in the newspaper business.^[4][5] He apparently served in the militia, in that he was often referred to in correspondence and press accounts as "Colonel", though the exact details of his military service are not currently known.^[6][7]

Barton was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1825.^[8]

In 1828 Barton was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives.^[9]

Barton moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1830, where he continued to practice law^[10][11] as a partner of Judah P. Benjamin.^[12] In 1843 he ran unsuccessfully for the Louisiana House of Representatives,^[13] and in 1844 he supported James K. Polk for President, including writing letters to the editor under the pen name John Randolph of Roanoke.^[14]

Polk, as President, rewarded Barton with an appointment as Solicitor of the Treasury, where he served from 1845 to 1847.^{[15][16][17][18]}

Barton served as U.S. Chargé d'affaires in Chile from 1847 to 1849.^[19] While at this post he created controversy by marrying a local woman in a Protestant service. The leaders of Chile's Catholic Church were angered because as a Protestant and a man who had been divorced, they believed Barton to be violating church tenets by marrying Isabel Astaburruaga, who was Catholic.^[20][21][22]

After leaving office, Barton resumed practicing law in New Orleans as the partner of Pierre Soulé.^[23] He died of yellow fever in New Orleans on December 29, 1854.^[24]