Residence Butterwood Role Former U.S. Congressman Occupation Planter, politician Education Princeton University | Children Ariella Hawkins Resigned March 3, 1815 Name Willis Alston | |
Previous offices Representative (NC 2nd District) 1803–1815, Representative (NC 9th District) 1799–1803 | ||
Member of congress start date March 4, 1799 | ||
Willis Alston (1769 – April 10, 1837) was a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1825 and 1831. He was the nephew of Nathaniel Macon.
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Early life
Willis Alston was born in 1769 near Littleton, North Carolina, in Halifax County.
Career
Alston engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons in 1790 and served for two years; in 1794 he was elected to a single term in the North Carolina Senate.
In 1798, Alston was elected as a Federalist to the U.S. House, defeating incumbent Thomas Blount and two other candidates. Alston served from March 4, 1799, to March 4, 1815. Early in the Jefferson administration, Alston changed parties and became affiliated with the Republican Party. Local Federalists recruited former Gov. William R. Davie to challenge Alston in 1803, but Alston survived Davie's challenge. Alston chaired the House Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business during the 13th U.S. Congress. In the election of April 1813, Alston defeated Daniel Mason, the Peace candidate, with the smallest margin of his re-election campaigns (56%-44%), and Alston retired at the end of the term.
He returned to the state House of Commons between 1820 and 1824, and then returned to Washington in 1825, elected as a Jacksonian Democrat. Serving three terms (March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1831), Alston chaired the Committee on Elections during the 21st Congress. He declined to seek re-election in 1830 and returned to agriculture.
He is perhaps best known for his quarrels with John Randolph of Virginia. Randolph had an intense dislike for Alston and had a pitched fight with him in a Washington boarding house. Heated words led to the two throwing tableware at each other. Six years later, they fought again in a stairwell at the House after Alston loudly referred to Randolph as a "puppy". Randolph beat Alston bloody with his cane and the two had to be separated by other congressmen. Randolph was fined $20 for this breach of the peace.
Death and legacy
Alston died on April 10, 1837 in Halifax and is buried at his plantation home of Butterwood, near Littleton. His granddaughter, Missouri Alston Pleasants, established the Alston-Pleasants scholarship fund in his memory.