John Appleton, an American lawyer, politician, and statesman, was born in Beverly,
Massachusetts,
11 February 1815. He became a lawyer and editor before becoming chief clerk in the United States Navy
Department. In
1848, he was transferred to the State Department, headed by
James Buchanan, and a few weeks later President James K. Polk appointed him US chargé d'affaires
in Bolivia.
Appleton served one term in Congress (
1851-53) and in
1855 was appointed secretary of the US legation at
London under
Buchanan and returned to the US the following year to assist in
Buchanan's successful campaign for the presidency. Appleton served as assistant secretary
in the State Department
from 1857 to 1860, when he was appointed ambassador to Russia. He died in Portland, Maine, on
22 August 1864.