44 - Jonathan Dayton (NJ)

#44 - Jonathan Dayton (NJ)
Birthplace: Elizabethtown, NJ
Age at Convention: 26

1) Religion
-- Submitted the following request to Ben Franklin during the Convention: "I will suggest, Mr. President, the propriety of nominating and appointing, before we separate, a chaplain to this Convention, whose duty it shall be uniformly to assemble with us, and introduce the business of each day by an address to the Creator of the universe, and the Governor of all nations, beseeching Him to preside in our council, enlighten our minds with a portion of heavenly wisdom, influence our hearts with a love of truth and justice, and crown our labors with complete and abundant success!”

2) Slavery
-- Actively opposed slavery
-- However, voted against restricting slavery in Lousiana Purchase territories

3) Upbringing
-- Son of a storekeeper who was active in local & state politics
-- Graduated from College of New Jersey (Princeton)

References:
1) http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/delegates/dayton.html
2) http://books.google.com/books?id=ZdK4weTixusC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=jonathan+dayton+slavery&source=web&ots=jASJaxh1jL&sig=71B9Sg2cULPCIXyl7n0TTO3yFhw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result
3) http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/HammondJ/Hammond%20SHEAR%20paper%202004.pdf
4) http://turner.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=98020

Running tabulation:
1) Religiously Active (7) or Primarily Secular (5)
2) Abolitionist (4), Partial Abolitionist (5) or Non-Abolitionist (3)
3) Wealthy (4) or Middle-Class/Poor (8)