Thomas Hart Benton

author

Thomas Hart Benton

1782–1858

A fierce and unforgettable figure in early American politics, he spent three decades in the U.S. Senate pushing for westward expansion and a hard-money financial system. Nicknamed “Old Bullion,” he was known for his forceful style, long public career, and outsized influence on Missouri and the nation.

3 Audiobooks

Thomas Hart Benton's Remarks to the Senate on the Expunging Resolution

Thomas Hart Benton's Remarks to the Senate on the Expunging Resolution

by Thomas Hart Benton

Thirty Years' View (Vol. 1 of 2) or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850

Thirty Years' View (Vol. 1 of 2) or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850

by Thomas Hart Benton

Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2) or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850

Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2) or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850

by Thomas Hart Benton

About the author

Born in North Carolina in 1782, Thomas Hart Benton trained as a lawyer and later built his career in the growing American West. After time in Tennessee, he settled in St. Louis and became one of Missouri’s dominant political voices as the state entered the Union.

Benton served as a United States senator from Missouri from 1821 to 1851, making him one of the central figures of the Jacksonian era. He strongly backed westward expansion and became famous for defending hard currency over paper money, which helped earn him the nickname “Old Bullion.” His career also included military service in the War of 1812 and a later term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Remembered as energetic, combative, and deeply ambitious, Benton helped shape major national debates over expansion, banking, and the future of the Union. His long public life also connected him to other major figures of the era, including his son-in-law John C. Frémont.