# Mark Trafton

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American politician

Mark Trafton Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 11th district In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 Preceded by John Z. Goodrich Succeeded by Henry L. Dawes Personal details Born (1810-08-01)August 1, 1810[1] Bangor, Massachusetts (now Maine)[1] Died March 8, 1901(1901-03-08) (aged 90)[2] West Somerville, Massachusetts[3] Resting place Peabody Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts Party American Party Spouse Eliza Young[1] Children John Trafton[1] Adeline Trafton[1][4] James Trafton[1] Occupation Shoemaker[1][5] Profession Methodist Episcopal pastor

**Mark Trafton** (August 1, 1810 – March 8, 1901) was a [Methodist Episcopal](/source/Methodist_Episcopal) minister who, as a member of the [American Party](/source/Know_Nothing) served one term as a [U.S. representative](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) from [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts).

## Family history

Trafton's mother Margaret Dennett,[1] was the daughter of Jacob Dennett, one of [Bangor, Maine](/source/Bangor%2C_Maine)'s original settlers.[6]

## Early life

Trafton was born in [Bangor](/source/Bangor%2C_Maine) (then in Massachusetts' [District of Maine](/source/District_of_Maine)) to Theodore[1][5] and Margaret (Dennett) Trafton.[1] When he was fifteen years old he was apprenticed to a Mr. Weed, a shoemaker[1][5] of [Bangor, Maine](/source/Bangor%2C_Maine).[5]

## Education

Trafton studied at Kent's Hill Seminary, and was ordained pastor of the [Methodist Episcopal](/source/Methodist_Episcopal) church in [Westfield, Massachusetts](/source/Westfield%2C_Massachusetts). In the early 1850s he traveled in Europe and published his letters home as *Rambles in Europe: In a Series of Familiar Letters* (Boston, 1852). The volume is dedicated to George W. Pickering, a cousin and prominent merchant in [Bangor, Maine](/source/Bangor%2C_Maine), who may have financed the trip.[7] Trafton never lost touch with his home town of Bangor, returning to speak at its centennial celebration in 1869.[8]

## Family life

In 1836[1] Trafton married Eliza Young of East [Pittston, Maine](/source/Pittston%2C_Maine).[1] The Traftons had six children including sons John and James Trafton,[1] and daughter, writer [Adeline Trafton](/source/Adeline_Trafton).[1][4] Eliza Trafton died in 1882.[1]

## Member of Congress

Trafton was elected as the candidate of the American Party (aka the [Know-Nothing Party](/source/Know-Nothing_Party)) to the [Thirty-fourth Congress](/source/34th_United_States_Congress) (March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857). All eleven U.S. Representatives in the Massachusetts delegation were members of the American Party, including Speaker of the House [Nathaniel P. Banks](/source/Nathaniel_P._Banks). According to his *[New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)* obituary, Trafton "had been an active leader in the anti-slavery reform, and while a member of Congress he secured the cordial hate of his opponents by his bold assaults upon the slave power".[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1856 to the [Thirty-fifth](/source/35th_United_States_Congress) Congress, and resumed his ministerial duties as pastor of a church in [Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts](/source/Mount_Wollaston%2C_Massachusetts).

## Career as a Clergyman

Trafton served as the pastor of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in [Charlestown](/source/Charlestown%2C_Massachusetts). Trafton served as pastor for the North Russell St. M. E. church in Boston in 1850 and 1851. The ladies of the church presented he and his wife with a red and white signature quilt upon his leaving his tenure there. The quilt now resides at the International Quilt Museum, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

## Death and burial

Trafton died in [West Somerville, Massachusetts](/source/Somerville%2C_Massachusetts), March 8, 1901. He was interred in [Peabody Cemetery](/source/Springfield_Cemetery_(Springfield%2C_Massachusetts)), in [Springfield](/source/Springfield%2C_Massachusetts).

## References

- United States Congress. ["Mark Trafton (id: T000351)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=T000351). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-BET2-9-1901_1-15) "Rev. Mark Trafton", *Boston Evening Transcript*, p. 6, March 9, 1901

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NYT2-9-1901_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NYT2-9-1901_2-1) "DEATH LIST OF A DAY.; The Rev. Mark Trafton.", *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, March 9, 1901

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LDS2-9-1901p3_3-0)** "Reverend Mark Trafton", *Lewiston Daily Sun*, Lewiston, Maine, p. 3, March 9, 1901

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WhoWHoInAmp853_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WhoWHoInAmp853_4-1) John William Leonard, ed. (1903), *Who's Who in America, 1903-1905*, Chicago: A N Marquis, p. 853

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PoetsofMainep143_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PoetsofMainep143_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-PoetsofMainep143_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-PoetsofMainep143_5-3) George Bancroft Griffith, ed. (1888), *The Poets of Maine: A Collection of Specimen Poems from over Four Hundred Verse-Makers of the Pine-Tree State: With Biographical Sketches*, [Portland, Maine](/source/Portland%2C_Maine): Elwell, Pickard & company, p. 143

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** James Vickery, ed., *The Journals of John Edwards Godfrey*, ft. p. 279

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** See [Adams-Pickering Block](/source/Adams-Pickering_Block)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *Centennial Celebration of Bangor (Me.)* (1869), p. 90

## External links

- [Works by or about Mark Trafton](https://archive.org/search.php?query=%28%28subject%3A%22Trafton%2C%20Mark%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22Mark%20Trafton%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Trafton%2C%20Mark%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Mark%20Trafton%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Trafton%2C%20M%2E%22%20OR%20title%3A%22Mark%20Trafton%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Trafton%2C%20Mark%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Mark%20Trafton%22%29%20OR%20%28%221810-1901%22%20AND%20Trafton%29%29%20AND%20%28-mediatype:software%29) at the [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)

- [Mark Trafton entry](http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/traeger-travia.html#684.53.28) at [The Political Graveyard](/source/The_Political_Graveyard)

- [Mark Trafton](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7481751) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by John Z. Goodrich Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 11th congressional district March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 Succeeded by Henry L. Dawes

This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from [*Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*](http://bioguide.congress.gov). [Federal government of the United States](/source/Federal_government_of_the_United_States).

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v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

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