Solomon Foot

Solomon Foot
Brady-Handy Photograph Collection, Library of Congress, circa 1860
United States Senator from Vermont
In office March 4, 1851 – March 28, 1866
Preceded by	Samuel S. Phelps
Succeeded by	George F. Edmunds
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office February 16, 1861 – April 13, 1864
Preceded by	Benjamin Fitzpatrick
Succeeded by	Daniel Clark
Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds
In office 1861–1866
Preceded by	Jesse D. Bright
Succeeded by	B. Gratz Brown
Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office 1847–1848
Preceded by	Ebenezer N. Briggs
Succeeded by	William C. Kittredge
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's 1st district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	Hiland Hall
Succeeded by	William Henry
Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office 1837–1839
Preceded by	Carlos Coolidge
Succeeded by	Carlos Coolidge
State's Attorney of Rutland County, Vermont
In office 1836–1842
Preceded by	Reuben R. Thrall
Succeeded by	William C. Kittredge
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Rutland
In office 1847–1849
Preceded by	Joel M. Mead
Succeeded by	Edwin L. Griswold
In office 1836–1839
Preceded by	Ambrose L. Brown
Succeeded by	George Tisdale Hodges
In office 1833–1834
Preceded by	Rodncy C. Royce
Succeeded by	Ambrose L. Brown
Personal details
Born	(1802-11-19)November 19, 1802 Cornwall, Vermont, US
Died	March 28, 1866(1866-03-28) (aged 63) Washington, D.C., US
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Vermont
Political party	Whig (before 1854) Republican (from 1854)
Spouse(s)	Emily Fay Foot Anna Dora Hodges Foot
Children	Helen Eliza Foot
Alma mater	Middlebury College
Profession	Teacher Lawyer
Signature

Solomon Foot (November 19, 1802 – March 28, 1866) was an American politician and attorney. He held numerous offices during his career, including Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives, State's Attorney for Rutland County, member of the United States House of Representatives, and United States Senator.

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 County State'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.

In 1850 Foot was elected to the United States Senate; he became a Republican when the party was founded, and won reelection in 1856 and 1862. Foot served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate during the American Civil War, and was a strong advocate for the Union. He headed the Joint Congressional Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds beginning in 1861, and which included supervising completion of the United States Capitol's construction.

Foot died in Washington, D.C., in 1866; he was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland.