Rufus Easton

Rufus Easton (May 4, 1774 – July 5, 1834) was an American attorney, politician, and postmaster. He served as a non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Missouri Territory prior to statehood. After statehood he became Missouri's second attorney general. Rufus Easton was the founder of Alton, Illinois, and father of women's education pioneer Mary Easton Sibley.

Early life Rufus Easton was born on May 4, 1774, in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, to parents Joseph and Mehitable (Baker) Easton. After studying Law under Ephraim Kirby in his native Litchfield County, Easton moved to Rome, New York, and established a law practice. Easton and wife Alby, who he had married in 1799, left New York in 1803 settling briefly in Vincennes, Indiana Territory. In Vincennes he became friends with Edward Hempstead and John Scott, joining them in William Henry Harrison's expedition to set up a territorial government in St. Louis, District of Louisiana in 1804.

Founding of Alton, IL Easton purchased land just east of the Mississippi River in 1815 where he established a town. He named the town in honor of his firstborn son, Alton Rufus Easton. Alton is at the juncture of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and is near where Lewis and Clark set off for their Voyage of Discovery. Aside from the town name, the Easton family is memorialized in Easton Street and streets named after Easton children, including Alby, Alton, George, Langdon and Henry.

Unfortunately, Easton was not prosperous in Alton and speculation there left him in financial straits for the remainder of his life. Shortly thereafter Easton wrote to President Jefferson informing him of Burr's plot. In retaliation for Easton's repudiation, Wilkinson, a key Burr conspirator, began a campaign to have Easton removed from the court by leveling charges of official misconduct and fraud. Several months later however, Jefferson attempted to set right the removal by appointing Easton as U.S. Attorney for the territory.

Stung by the assault on his honor over the conspiracy and his removal as judge, Rufus Easton seriously considered challenging Aaron Burr to a duel. Fortunately, friend and U.S. Postmaster General Gideon Granger wrote Easton in December, 1806 convincing him not to pursue the matter. He was responsible for the construction of the first post office building in St. Louis, very near where the Gateway Arch stands today. Easton would continue to serve as postmaster until January, 1815. While Rufus Easton held a commission of Colonel in the militia, it is believed that he was not an active participant in the War of 1812, his political and business affairs keeping him otherwise occupied. In November, 1812 the first territorial legislature was elected as well as a non-voting delegate to the U.S. Congress. Easton ran for the delegate position but was defeated by Edward Hempstead. During his term Easton managed to accomplish a considerable amount on behalf of the Missouri territory. Issues on the sale of public lands, the Washington County lead mines, and granting lands to war veterans were all taken up as cause by Easton. He secured funding to establish fourteen additional post offices in the Missouri Territory and earned a place in history as the first Congressional sponsor of federal disaster aid, that to help victims of the New Madrid earthquakes.

Attorney General Rufus Easton returned to politics in 1821 when he was appointed the second Attorney General for the new state of Missouri by governor Alexander McNair. He replaced his protégé Edward Bates, who had studied law under and boarded with the Easton family. St. Louis, Missouri and Alton, Illinois both had streets named for Rufus Easton. The St. Louis street was later renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.