JOHN RUGGLES
Ruggles, John
(1789-1874), a Senator from Maine; born in Westboro, Worcester County, Mass., October 8, 1789; attended the common
schools; graduated from Brown University, Providence, R.I., in 1813; studied law; admitted to the bar and commenced
practice in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1815; moved to Thomaston, Maine, in 1817; member, State house of representatives
1823-1831, and served as speaker 1825-1829, 1831; justice of the supreme judicial court of Maine 1831-1834; elected
as a Jacksonian (later Democrat) to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Peleg
Sprague, and at the same time was elected for the full term beginning March 4, 1835, and served from January 20,
1835, to March 3, 1841; was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1840; chairman, Committee on Patents and
Patent Office (Twenty-fifth Congress); framer of the bill for the reorganization of the United States Patent Office
in 1836; resumed the practice of law in Thomaston, Knox County, Maine; also engaged as an inventor, orator, and
writer; died in Thomaston, Maine, on June 20, 1874; interment in Elm Grove Cemetery.
Spouse: Margaret [Ruggles] b. abt 1804 Massachusetts
Children:
Adelaide C. Ruggles b. abt 1825 Maine
Maria F. Ruggles b. abt 1827 Maine
John Ruggles b. abt 1828 Maine
Sources:
U.S. Federal Census The Political Graveyard
Submitted by Deborah Crowell |