William Upham

William Upham
Restored version of damaged original. Photo by Mathew Brady, circa 1850. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
United States Senator from Vermont
In office March 4, 1843 – January 14, 1853
Preceded by	Samuel C. Crafts
Succeeded by	Samuel S. Phelps
Chairman of the Vermont Whig State Central Committee
In office 1838–1841
Preceded by	Milton Brown
Succeeded by	Harry Bradley
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives from Montpelier
In office 1830–1831
Preceded by	Naum Kelton
Succeeded by	Azel Spaulding
In office 1827–1829
Preceded by	Arunah Waterman
Succeeded by	Naum Kelton
State's Attorney of Washington County, Vermont
In office 1829–1830
Preceded by	Denison Smith
Succeeded by	Azel Spaulding
Personal details
Born	(1792-08-05)August 5, 1792 Leicester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	January 14, 1853(1853-01-14) (aged 60) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
Political party	National Republican Anti-Masonic Whig
Spouse	Sarah Keyes (m. 1814–1853, his death)
Children	4
Education	University of Vermont (attended)
Profession	Attorney
Signature

William Upham (August 5, 1792 – January 14, 1853) was an American attorney and politician from Montpelier, Vermont. He was most notable for his service as a United States senator from Vermont.

A native of Leicester, Massachusetts, Upham was raised in Leicester and Montpelier, where his family moved in 1802. He was educated locally and worked on the family farm until he lost his right hand in an accident when he was fifteen. He then completed an academic course at Montpelier Academy and with local tutors in preparation to study law. He was admitted to the bar in 1811 and practiced in Montpelier. Upham was an advocate for reform causes including temperance and the abolition of slavery, and changed his party affiliation several times as the anti-slavery movement grew and coalesced, going from the National Republicans to the Anti-Masonic Party to the Whigs in the 1830s. He was a leader of both the Anti-Masons and the Whigs, represented Montpelier in the Vermont House of Representatives twice (1827–1829, 1830–1831), and served a term as State's Attorney of Washington County (1829–1830).

In 1842, Upham was elected to the U.S. Senate. He was reelected in 1848 and served from March 4, 1843 until his death. As a senator, Upham opposed U.S. involvement in the Mexican–American War and the extension of slavery. He became ill in late 1852, and died in Washington, D.C., on January 14, 1853. He was believed to have contracted smallpox and was assumed to be contagious. As a result, his funeral was held quickly, and he was buried at Congressional Cemetery in Washington rather than being returned to Vermont for burial.