Representative Hugh Caperton

Hugh Caperton (April 17, 1781 – February 9, 1847) was an American politician, planter, and merchant from Virginia who served one term in the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Federalist Party. He was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and came of age in the trans-Appalachian region during the early national period, a time of westward expansion and evolving political alignments. As a young man he became a planter and engaged in mercantile pursuits, establishing himself as a landowner and businessman on the Virginia frontier.

Caperton married Jane Erskine, and together they had several children, including Allen Taylor Caperton, who would later become a United States Senator from West Virginia. The Caperton family’s social and economic standing in western Virginia was closely tied to Hugh Caperton’s agricultural and commercial activities, which provided the foundation for the family’s continued prominence in regional and national public life.

By the early 1800s, Caperton had moved from Greenbrier County to Monroe County, Virginia (now West Virginia), where he continued his agricultural and mercantile enterprises. His local reputation led to his appointment as sheriff of Monroe County in 1805, a position that placed him at the center of county administration and law enforcement. His service as sheriff marked his formal entry into public life and helped establish his credentials for higher office in the state.

Caperton’s legislative career began in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he represented Monroe County. He was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1810 and served there until 1813. During this period he participated in state-level lawmaking at a time when Virginia was grappling with issues of internal improvement, land policy, and the broader national tensions that culminated in the War of 1812. His experience in the state legislature provided him with the political background and visibility that would support his subsequent election to Congress.

In 1812, Caperton was elected as a Federalist to the United States House of Representatives from Virginia. He won his seat with 100 percent of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Ballard Smith, and served in the Thirteenth Congress from 1813 to 1815. His term in Congress coincided with a significant period in American history, encompassing much of the War of 1812 and its aftermath. As a member of the Federalist Party representing Virginia, Caperton contributed to the legislative process during his single term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents from western Virginia in debates over war policy, finance, and national development.

After leaving Congress in 1815, Caperton returned to Virginia and resumed his agricultural and mercantile pursuits. He remained active in public affairs and was again elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, serving another stretch from 1826 to 1830. In this later legislative service he continued to represent Monroe County, reflecting the sustained confidence of his community in his leadership and judgment. Throughout these years he balanced his responsibilities as a legislator with the management of his estate and business interests.

In his later life, Caperton focused primarily on his work as a planter and merchant at his estate, known as “Elmwood,” located near Union in Monroe County, Virginia (now Union, West Virginia). “Elmwood” became both his family home and the center of his agricultural operations. The historical significance of the property, associated with Caperton’s life and career, was later recognized when “Elmwood” was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Hugh Caperton died at Elmwood on February 9, 1847. He was interred at Green Hill Cemetery in Union, where his burial marked the close of a career that linked local, state, and national public service in the early decades of the United States.