Charles H. Voorhis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles Henry Voorhis

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 5th district
In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881
Preceded by	Augustus W. Cutler
Succeeded by	John Hill

Born	March 13, 1833 Hackensack, New Jersey, USA
Died	April 15, 1896 Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Political party	Republican
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Judge

Charles Henry Voorhis (March 13, 1833 – April 15, 1896) was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from New Jersey.

Voorhis was born in Hackensack, New Jersey.^[1] He attended district schools and graduated from Rutgers College in 1853. He moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1856, commencing practice in Jersey City. He was a delegate to the 1864 Republican National Convention, was presiding judge of Bergen County, New Jersey in 1868 and 1869 and was one of the organizers of the Hackensack Improvement Commission in 1869 as well as of Hackensack Academy. Voorhis organized and served as the first president of the Hackensack Water Company in 1873. Voorhis was one of the founders of both the Bergen County National Bank and the Hackensack Savings Bank in 1868. Both banks failed in the late 1870s, causing losses of approximately $2 million. While Voorhis was indicted for the failure of the banks, he was ultimately acquitted.^[2]

He was elected a Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1878, serving from 1879 to 1881, not being a candidate for reelection in 1880.

After leaving Congress, he resumed his former business pursuits. On April 15, 1896, he committed suicide in his office in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey.^[1] He was interred in New York Cemetery in Hackensack, New Jersey.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b "CHARLES H. VOORHIS A SUICIDE.; Was Formerly a Congressman and a New-Jersey Judge.", The New York Times, April 16, 1896. "JERSEY CITY, April 15. -- Charles H. Voorhis, a well-known lawyer, whose home is at 114 Clifton Place, shot himself in his office in the Davidson Building, at Montgomery and Washington Streets, to-night. He placed the muzzle of a pistol just below his right temple, and, firing, the bullet passed almost through his head." The article shows Hackensack as his birthplace, but his entry in the Congressional Directory lists Spring Valley, New Jersey, a neighborhood that is now part of Paramus, New Jersey.
^ "A BANK PRESIDENT ACQUITTED.; EX-CONGRESSMAN VOORHIS TRIED ON TWO INDICTMENTS--FAILURE OF THE PROSECUTION.", The New York Times, October 1, 1881.

[edit] External links

Preceded by Augustus W. Cutler	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 5th congressional district March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881	Succeeded by John Hill