Charles Skelton

Charles Skelton (April 19, 1806 – May 20, 1879) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey’s 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1851 to 1855. His two terms in Congress coincided with a period of mounting sectional tension in the United States, during which he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his New Jersey constituents.

Skelton was born on April 19, 1806, in Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was connected through his mother’s family to the Doan family, a group notorious in the Revolutionary era; his uncle Abraham Doan was a member of the infamous Doan Outlaws and was executed for his role as a Tory during the American Revolution, while his grandfather Israel Doan was imprisoned for aiding the gang and probably died in jail. These family associations linked Skelton to a turbulent chapter of early American history, though his own life and career unfolded in the very different political and social climate of the nineteenth century.

Around 1829, Skelton moved from Pennsylvania to Trenton, New Jersey. There he attended the local country schools and Trenton Academy, receiving the education that would prepare him for both business and professional pursuits. His early years in Trenton placed him within a growing state capital that was developing commercially and politically, and this environment helped shape his later public service.

Skelton first engaged in mercantile pursuits, reflecting the economic opportunities of the period. In 1835 he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he shifted his focus from commerce to medicine. He enrolled at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, one of the leading medical institutions of the time, and graduated in 1838. Following his graduation, he commenced the practice of medicine in Philadelphia, entering a respected profession in a major American city.

In 1841, Skelton returned to Trenton, where he continued to build his career and reputation. Moving beyond private professional work, he became involved in local educational administration and civic affairs. In 1848 he was appointed superintendent of the Trenton Public Schools, a position that placed him at the center of efforts to organize and improve public education in the city. His work in education and his standing in the community helped establish the foundation for his later political career.

Skelton was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Congresses, representing New Jersey’s 2nd congressional district. He served in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1855. As a member of the Democratic Party representing New Jersey, he contributed to the legislative process during two terms in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, as debates over slavery, territorial expansion, and sectional balance intensified in the years leading up to the Civil War. Within this context, Skelton participated in the democratic process at the national level, advocating for and representing the interests of his constituents in New Jersey.

After leaving Congress in 1855, Skelton remained active in public life in Trenton. He continued his engagement in local affairs and, reflecting the trust placed in him by his community, served as a member of the Trenton common council from 1873 to 1875. In this municipal role, he contributed to the governance and oversight of city matters during a period of continued urban growth and post–Civil War adjustment.

Charles Skelton died in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 20, 1879. He was interred in City Cemetery in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. His life encompassed work as a merchant, physician, educator, local official, and United States Representative, linking early nineteenth-century Pennsylvania and New Jersey communities to the national political developments of the antebellum era.