Lawrence Brainerd

Free Soil Senator of Vermont

Congresses Served

Senate Terms

January 1, 1794 (76 years old)

Birthday

January 1, 1870

Death

American businessman and politician known for his strong anti-slavery stance.
Active in various political parties, including the Jacksonians, Whigs, Liberty Party, Free Soil Party, and was a founding member of the Republican Party.
Served a brief term as a United States Senator, filling a vacancy in 1854.
Elected as the first chairman of the Vermont Republican Party and played a significant role in organizing the party’s first national convention in 1856.
Involved in local politics, serving in the Vermont House of Representatives and as deputy sheriff of Franklin County.
Engaged in various business ventures, including retail, banking, railroads, and agriculture, with significant real estate holdings.
Advocated for temperance and was active in the Congregational church and the American Missionary Association.
Participated in the Underground Railroad, providing refuge for runaway slaves.
Recognized for his outdoor skills, famously hunted a wolf that threatened local livestock.
Married with twelve children, several of whom were notable in their own right.