Hugh Caperton (April 17, 1781 – February 9, 1847) was an American politician and planter from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. He was the father of

Allen Taylor Caperton Allen Taylor Caperton (November 21, 1810 – July 26, 1876) was an American politician who was a United States senator from the State of West Virginia in 1875–1876. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He had been in the Virginia House ...

whom he had with his wife Jane Erskine Caperton.

Biography

Born in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

), Caperton was a planter and engaged in mercantile pursuits as a young man. He moved to

Monroe County, Virginia Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,376. Its county seat is Union. Monroe County was the home of Andrew Summers Rowan of Spanish–American War fame, who is immortalized i ...

which he became sheriff of in 1805 and became a member of the

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-number ...

in 1810, serving until 1813. He was elected a Federalist to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

in 1812, serving from 1813 to 1815 and later returned to the House of Delegates from 1826 to 1830. Caperton resumed engaging in agricultural and mercantile pursuits until his death at his estate called " Elmwood" near Union, Virginia (now

) on February 9, 1847. He was interred at Green Hill Cemetery in Union. "Elmwood" was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1976.

1813 election

Caperton was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 100% of the vote, defeating Republican Ballard Smith.

References

External links

* 1781 births 1847 deaths Members of the Virginia House of Delegates Farmers from Virginia Virginia sheriffs People from Monroe County, West Virginia American planters People from Greenbrier County, West Virginia Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia Caperton family of Virginia and West Virginia Businesspeople from Virginia 19th-century American politicians Members of the United States House of Representatives who owned slaves {{Virginia-Representative-stub