John Appleton

Who was John Appleton?

John Appleton was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, and raised in Cumberland County, Maine, USA. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1834, also studied at Cambridge Law School, and was admitted to the Cumberland County bar in 1837, commencing practice in Portland, Maine.

He also did editorial work on the Eastern Argus and became editor in 1838. He later became a register of probate for Cumberland County in 1840 and again from 1842 to 1844. His wife, Susan Appleton, gave birth to their son, Eben Dodge Appleton, on September 8, 1843. Appleton became Chief Clerk of the United States Navy Department in 1845 serving to 1848. He was then transferred to the United States State Department under the same position, serving from January to April 1848. He then served as United States Minister to Bolivia from 1848 to 1849. In 1850 he was elected to the 32nd United States Congress serving from 1851 to 1853, not running for re-election in 1852. In 1855 he served as Secretary of the Legation in London, England, from February 19 to November 16. He resumed practicing law until he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State in 1857 serving to 1860 when he resigned to serve as United States Ambassador to Russia, keeping this post until 1861. He then retired and later died on August 22, 1864, in Portland, Maine. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.