Dayton, William Lewis (1807-1864), was the Republican candidate for vice president of the United States in 1856. He and presidential candidate John C. Fremont were defeated by Democratic candidates James Buchanan (president) and John C. Breckinridge (vice president). As a member of the Whig Party, Dayton served as a U.S. senator from New Jersey from 1842 to 1851. He was attorney general of New Jersey from 1857 to 1861 and U.S. minister to France from 1861 until his death on Dec. 1, 1864. Dayton was born on Feb. 17, 1807, in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
