Henry Shelton Sanford


Henry Shelton Sanford was a wealthy American diplomat, businessman, and aristocrat from Connecticut who served as United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1861 to 1869. He is also known for founding the city of Sanford, Florida and for successfully lobbying the United States into recognizing King Leopold IIs claim to the Congo region in central Africa, the area that would become Leopolds privately controlled Congo Free State.

Sanford was born in Woodbury, Connecticut into a family with deep New England roots. He was the son of Nancy Bateman Shelton and Nehemiah Curtis Sanford, who made his fortune manufacturing brass tacks and served in the Connecticut Senate for the 16th District. He was a descendant of Governor Thomas Welles, who arrived in 1635 and was the only man in Connecticuts history to hold all four top offices governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. He was also the transcriber of the Fundamental Orders. Nehemiah C. Sanfords brother was John Sanford, the founder of the Amsterdam, New York branch of the Sanford family.

Source: Wikipedia


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