Thomas Forrest

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Thomas Forrest (1747-1825) was an American politician. He was member of the 16th Session of the United States Congress, and first chairman of the United States House Committee on Agriculture.

Forrest was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War was commissioned a captain in Col. Thomas Proctor’s Pennsylvania Artillery October 5, 1776, promoted to major March 3, 1777, and lieutenant colonel December 2, 1778. He resigned October 7, 1781.

Forrest was elected as a Federalist to the Sixteenth Congress. He served as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture during the Sixteenth Congress.

The Committee on Agriculture was created on May 3, 1820. The population of the country was about 9 million and there were 213 Representatives in the House. Seven of these Representatives, under the chairmanship of Forrest were assigned to the new committee. Six other States were represented in this group: Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. (The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry was founded December 9, 1825.)

He was again elected as a Federalist to the Seventeenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Milnor. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1822.

He died in Germantown, Pennsylvania.