Richard Cutts

For the Anglican bishop, see Richard Cutts (bishop).

Richard Cutts (June 28, 1771 – April 7, 1845) was an American merchant and politician. A Democratic-Republican, he was most notable for his service as Second Comptroller of the United States Treasury from 1817 to 1829 and a United States representative from Massachusetts from 1801 to 1813.

Richard Cutts
Portrait by Gilbert Stuart
Second Comptroller of the United States Treasury
In office March 6, 1817 – March 21, 1829
Preceded by	None (position created)
Succeeded by	Isaac Hill
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 14th district
In office March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1813
Preceded by	George Thatcher
Succeeded by	Cyrus King
Personal details
Born	(1771-06-28)June 28, 1771 Pepperellborough, Massachusetts Bay, British America (now Saco, Maine)
Died	April 7, 1845(1845-04-07) (aged 73) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse	Anna Payne (m. 1804-1832, her death)
Relations	James Madison (brother-in-law) Dolley Madison (sister-in-law) James M. Cutts (grandson) Adèle Cutts Douglas (granddaughter)
Children	7 (including Mary Cutts)
Alma mater	Harvard University
Occupation	Merchant
Signature

Early life

Cutts was born Cutts Island on June 28, 1771.^[1] The island was near the town of Pepperellborough in Massachusetts Bay's Province of Maine (modern-day Saco, Maine).^[1] The fifth of eight children born to Thomas Cutts and Elizabeth Scammon Cutts,^[2] he attended the rural schools of Maine and Phillips Academy, Andover.^[3] He graduated from Harvard University in 1790, then traveled extensively in Europe.^[1] Cutts' father was a shipbuilder and merchant who traded in lumber and other cargoes at ports in several Caribbean islands.^[4] Cutts studied law, but rather than pursuing a legal career, he also became a successful trader and merchant.^[5]

Political career

A Democratic-Republican, Cutts served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1799 and 1800.^[1] In 1800 he was elected to the Seventh U.S. Congress.^[1] He was reelected five times and served from March 4, 1801, to March 3, 1813.^[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1812 to the Thirteenth Congress.^[1]

During the War of 1812, Cutts was appointed as the federal superintendent general of military supplies, and he served from 1813 to 1817.^[1] In 1817, he was appointed Second Comptroller of the Treasury, the first individual to hold this post.^[6] He served until March 21, 1829, and was succeeded by Isaac Hill.^[6]

Death and burial

In retirement, Cutts was a resident of Washington, D.C.^[7] He died in Washington on April 7, 1845.^[7] Cutts was buried at St. John's Graveyard, and in 1857 he was reinterred at Oak Hill Cemetery.^[7]

Family

In 1804, Cutts married Anna Payne, whose sister Dolley Madison was the wife of Secretary of State (and later, President) James Madison.^[1] They were the parents of seven children, five sons and two daughters:^[8]

• James Madison (1805–1863)
• Thomas (1806–1838)
• Walter Coles (b. 1808, d. after 1833)
• Richard (1810–1815)
• Dorthea (Dolley) Payne Madison (1811–1838)
• Mary Estelle Elizabeth (1814–1856)
• Richard Dominicus (1817–1883)

Cutts' daughter Mary was close to Dolley Madison and wrote two memoirs about her.^[9] Cutts' grandson James M. Cutts was a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.^[10] His granddaughter Adèle Cutts Douglas was the second wife of Senator Stephen A. Douglas.^[11]