Benton, Thomas Hart (1782-1858), served as United States senator from Missouri for 30 years. He became a senator when Missouri entered the Union in 1821. Benton brought Western support to President Andrew Jackson and the new Democratic Party. He led the antibank Senate forces during Jackson’s fight against the second United States Bank (see Jackson, Andrew (The Bank of the United States) ). Benton’s fight for gold and silver currency won him the nickname “Old Bullion.” He also favored selling government lands cheaply to Western farmers. Benton opposed the extension of slavery into U.S. territories. Missouri has placed a statue of Benton in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Benton was born in Hillsboro (now Hillsborough), North Carolina. He was a great uncle of Thomas Hart Benton, a famous painter.
