William L. Dayton

William Dayton
Dayton circa 1856
United States Minister to France
In office May 19, 1861 – December 1, 1864
President	Abraham Lincoln
Preceded by	Charles J. Faulkner
Succeeded by	John Bigelow
21st Attorney General of New Jersey
In office January 20, 1857 – March 18, 1861
Governor	William A. Newell Charles Smith Olden
Preceded by	Richard Thompson
Succeeded by	Frederick Frelinghuysen
United States Senator from New Jersey
In office July 2, 1842 – March 3, 1851
Preceded by	Samuel L. Southard
Succeeded by	Robert F. Stockton
Personal details
Born	William Lewis Dayton (1807-02-17)February 17, 1807 Basking Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	December 1, 1864(1864-12-01) (aged 57) Paris, France
Political party	Whig (Before 1854) Republican (1854–1864)
Spouse	Margaret Dayton
Education	Princeton University (BA)

William Lewis Dayton (February 17, 1807 – December 1, 1864) was an American politician, active first in the Whig Party and later in the Republican Party. In the 1856 presidential election, he became the first Republican vice-presidential nominee when nominated alongside John C. Frémont. The Republican Party lost that campaign. During the American Civil War, Dayton served as the United States Ambassador to France, a position in which he worked to prevent French recognition of the Confederate States of America.