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David P. Buckson
Attorney General of Delaware
January 15, 1963 – January 19, 1971
Preceded by	Januar D. Bove, Jr.
Succeeded by	W. Laird Stabler, Jr.
Governor of Delaware
December 30, 1960 – January 17, 1961
Preceded by	J. Caleb Boggs
Succeeded by	Elbert N. Carvel
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
January 15, 1957 – December 30, 1960
Preceded by	John W. Rollins
Succeeded by	Eugene Lammot
Born	July 25, 1920 (age 86) Townsend, Delaware
Residence	Camden, Delaware
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Betty Savin Patricia Maloney
Profession	lawyer
Religion	Methodist

David Penrose Buckson (born July 25, 1920) is an American lawyer and politician from Camden, in Kent County, Delaware. He is veteran of World War II, and a member of the Republican Party, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, Governor of Delaware, and Attorney General of Delaware.

Contents 1 Early life and family 2 Lieutenant Governor of Delaware 3 Delaware politics 4 Later career 5 Almanac 6 References 6.1 Images 7 External links 7.1 Places with more information

Buckson was born July 25, 1920 at Townsend, Delaware, son of Leon & Margaret Hutchison Buckson. He first married Betty Savin in 1945, and second Patricia Maloney in 1962 with whom he had four children, Marlee, David, Eric and Kent. They were members of the Methodist Church. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1941 with a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. During World War II Buckson served in the South Pacific and attained the rank of Major. Afterwards he again took up his legal career, attending Dickinson College Law School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

In 1955 Buckson was appointed a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas. A year later, in 1956, he was elected Lieutenant Governor, defeating Vernon Derrickson. He served one term from January 15, 1957 to December 30, 1960. At the end of his term, in 1960, he sought the Republican Party nomination for Governor, but lost it to John Rollins. However, he became Governor upon the resignation of Governor J. Caleb Boggs, and served the remaining 18 days of Boggs' second term.

In 1962, Buckson was elected Delaware State Attorney General and served two terms, from January 15, 1963 until January 19, 1971. He was a candidate for Governor again in 1964, when he lost to Democratic former Chief Justice Charles L. Terry, Jr., and finally in 1972, when he failed to receive the Republican nomination.

Buckson was later appointed by Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt to be a Judge in the Family Court of Delaware where he earned a reputation for dispatching justice in the most efficient, judicious, and evenhanded of manners.

Buckson was the first Delaware attorney to have offices in more than one county. He is widely recognized to have been the philosophical founder of Dover Downs, a volunteer fireman, decorated veteran and officer of World War II, and Commander of a National Guard unit. He has also been City Solicitor for the Delaware municipalities of Newark, Middletown, Townsend, Smyrna, Clayton, and Dover, all at the same time.

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor)
Year	Assembly		Senate Majority	President pro tempore		House Majority	Speaker
1961-1962	121st		Democratic	John B. Reilly		Democratic	Sherman W. Tribbitt

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State Attorney General take office the third Tuesday of January, and have four year terms.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Elected	Term began	Term ended	notes
Lt. Governor	Executive	Dover	1956	January 15, 1957	December 30, 1960
Governor	Executive	Dover		December 30, 1960	January 17, 1961	Acting
State Attorney General	Executive	Dover	1962	January 15, 1963	January 17, 1967
State Attorney General	Executive	Dover	1966	January 17, 1967	January 19, 1971

Election results
Year	Office	Election		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1956	Lt. Governor	General		David P. Buckson	Republican	92,254	52%		Vernon B. Derrickson	Democratic	81,121	48%
1962	State Attorney General	General		David P. Buckson	Republican	77,666	51%		John Biggs, III	Democratic	75,064	49%
1964	Governor	General		David P. Buckson	Republican	97,374	49%		Charles L. Terry, Jr.	Democratic	102,797	51%
1966	State Attorney General	General		David P. Buckson	Republican	96,595	59%		Sidney Balick	Democratic	66,848	41%
1972	Governor	Primary		David P. Buckson	Republican	20,138	46%		Russell W. Peterson	Republican	23,929	54%

• Sobel, Robert; J. Racino (1988). Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-930466-00-4. 
• Davis, Ned (2000). Charles L. Terry. Wilmington, Delaware: Delaware Heritage Press. OCLC 47186751. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press. 
• Cohen, Celia (2002). Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State. Newark, Delaware: Grapevine Publishing. 

• Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery [1] Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.

• Delaware’s Governors [2]
• National Governors Association [3]
• Political Graveyard [4]

• Historical Society of Delaware [5] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware Library [6] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965

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