Nephew of propositus Jonathan Dayton. Born in Elizabethtown, NJ on 4 Oct 1796 and died in Elizabethtown, NJ on 1 Oct 1858. Princeton graduate 1813 and MA degree 1816. Attorney and member of the Bar 1817. Member of the House of Assembly of New Jersey 1823-1824. Member of the New York Legislature in 1828 for two terms. Master of the Court of Chancery of New York City. Chief Clerk of the US State Department 1836-1838. Acting US Secretary of State 1836. Fourth Auditor of the US Treasury 1838-1858. Married Mary Tufton 8 Aug 1837. [Sources: ; (66); (98);(C); “Biographical Annals of Civil Government of the US”, 1870;Biographical Encyclopaedia of New Jersey”, p374.]