Richard Hanson Weightman

Richard Hanson Weightman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico Territory's At-large district
In office March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853
Preceded by	district established
Succeeded by	José Manuel Gallegos
Personal details
Born	December 28, 1816 Washington, D.C.
Died	August 10, 1861 (aged 44) near Springfield, Missouri
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Virginia
Occupation	newspaper editor
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America  Confederate States
Service/branch	United States Army Missouri State Guard
Years of service	1846–1849 (U.S. Army) 1861 (Missouri State Guard)
Rank	Captain (U.S. Army) Colonel (Missouri State Guard)
Battles/wars	Mexican–American War American Civil War

Richard Hanson Weightman (December 28, 1816 – August 10, 1861) was an antebellum delegate to the United States Congress from the Territory of New Mexico. He was also a district commander of the secessionist Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War, and was killed in action at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri.

Biography

Born in Washington, D.C., Weightman attended private schools there and in Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1834. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1835–1837 (but did not graduate). He subsequently studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841 in the District of Columbia, but did not practice.

He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and on May 28, 1846, was elected captain of Clark's Battalion, Missouri Volunteer Light Artillery, in the Mexican War. He served as Additional Paymaster, Volunteers, in the Army in 1848 and 1849. He moved to New Mexico Territory in 1851 and edited a newspaper in Sante Fe. He was appointed agent for Indians in New Mexico in July 1851. While in Santa Fe in August 1854, he killed François Xavier Aubry (December 3, 1824 – August 18, 1854) who was a French Canadian merchant and explorer of the American Southwest. When Aubry drew his revolver, Weightman stabbed Aubry with a Bowie knife.

Weightman was elected as a Democrat and the Territory's first Delegate to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1852, but resumed newspaper work. He moved to Kickapoo and Atchison, Kansas, in 1858, and went to Independence, Missouri, in 1861.

Weightman was elected colonel of the First Regiment Cavalry, Eighth Division, Missouri State Guard on June 11, 1861. He was promoted to command of the First Brigade, Eighth Division, June 20, 1861, and led it competently at the Battle of Carthage on July 5.

Colonel Richard Hanson Weightman was killed while leading his brigade at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri on August 10, 1861, and was interred on the battlefield near Springfield, Missouri.

References

• United States Congress. "Richard Hanson Weightman (id: W000255)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2009-5-11

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.