A native of Cornwall, Vermont, Foot began working on local farms at age nine, helping support his family after the death of his father. After graduating from Middlebury College, Foot worked as a teacher, school principal, and college professor while studying law. After attaining admission to the bar in 1831, he opened a practice in Rutland.
Entering politics as a Whig, Foot served in several offices, including member of the Vermont House of Representatives, delegate to the state constitutional conventions of 1833 and 1836, and Rutland CountyState's Attorney. He was Vermont's Speaker of the House from 1837 to 1839. Foot served in the United States House of Representatives from 1843 to 1847 and was noted for his opposition to the Mexican–American War and the extension of slavery. He did not run for reelection in 1846; returned to the Vermont House, he served as Speaker from 1847 to 1848.
Foot died in Washington, D.C., in 1866; he was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland.
Early life
Foot was born on November 19, 1802, in Cornwall, Vermont.[1] He was the son of Dr. Solomon and Betsey Crossett Foot,[1] and his family lived across the road from William Slade.[2]: 244 Foot's father died when he was nine years old, and he worked on local farms to help support his family.[3] He graduated from Middlebury College in 1826 and also received a master's degree from Middlebury.[1][4][2]: 244
He declined renomination in 1846.[10] Returned to the Vermont House of Representatives, Foot was again chosen to serve as Speaker, holding the post from 1847 to 1848.[13]
1848 Whig Convention
Foot was a Delegate to the 1848 Whig National Convention, and was Chairman of the Vermont delegation.[14][15]Abbott Lawrence of Massachusetts, who had worked diligently to obtain the Presidential nomination for Zachary Taylor, expected to be the Vice Presidential nominee, counting on the support of Thurlow Weed of New York and the southern delegates who had backed Taylor.[14][15] Northern and border state delegates, who had backed Henry Clay or Daniel Webster for President, threatened to run a northern candidate in opposition to Taylor unless a northerner other than Lawrence—one seen as less willing to allow slavery—was selected for Vice President.[14][15] They proposed Millard Fillmore of New York.[14][15]
Other delegates promoted Fillmore because they opposed the efforts of Weed and William H. Seward to control the party in New York, and believed that Weed was working to install Seward as Secretary of State in a Taylor administration.[14][15] They backed Fillmore for Vice President because in an era when the President, Vice President and cabinet were expected to reflect geographic balance, if Fillmore became Vice President, another New Yorker (Seward) could not be expected to claim a place in the cabinet.[14][15]
Foot went to the convention as a supporter of Lawrence.[14][15] Recognizing that the Whigs would likely collapse if Lawrence was nominated and northern delegates left the party, Foot agreed to support Fillmore.[14][15] Lawrence's support eroded as other northern delegates followed Foot's lead, and on the first ballot, Fillmore had 115 votes and Lawrence 109.[14][15] Fillmore won the nomination on the second ballot, and the ticket of Taylor and Fillmore went on to win the election.[14][15]
United States Senator
Foot was elected to the United States Senate as a Whig in 1850.[16] He became a Republican at the party's founding and was reelected to the Senate in 1856 and 1862.[16] He served from March 4, 1851, until his death.[17]
In early 1861 Foot met the Vermont delegates to the Peace Conference which attempted to prevent the start of the American Civil War.[18] At this meeting, he shared with them his view that the conference was a sham by secessionists who hoped to obtain additional time to plan for the withdrawal of their states from the Union.[18]
Foot served as the Senate's President pro tempore from 1861 to 1864.[20] Because Vice PresidentHannibal Hamlin was often absent, Foot usually presided over the Senate during the war, and he was commended for his tact and fairness.[21]
He was Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds from 1861 until his death.[10] In this capacity, he oversaw completion of construction on the United States Capitol.[22][23]
Death
Foot died in Washington, D.C., on March 28, 1866.[24] Funeral services were held in the Chamber of the United States Senate.[25] He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Vermont.[8]
Foot's brother Jonathan (born October 31, 1804) graduated from Vermont Medical College in 1829.[2]: 272 [32] He settled in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, where he practiced medicine.[2]: 272 [32]
Solomon Foot's mother lived with him in Rutland until her death in 1845.[2]: 208
