Nathaniel Niles (politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nathaniel Niles (April 3, 1741 - October 31, 1828) was a United States Representative from Vermont. Born in South Kingston, Rhode Island, he attended Harvard College and graduated from Princeton College in 1766. He studied law and medicine, and taught in New York City. Niles also studied theology and preached in Norwich and Torrington, Connecticut.

Niles invented a process for making wire, and erected mills in Norwich. After the Revolution, he moved to West Fairlee, Orange County, Vermont, and was a member of the State house of representatives in 1784 and served as speaker. From 1784 to 1788, he was a judge of the supreme court and a member of the council in 1785 and 1787. He was a delegate to the State constitutional convention of 1791, and upon the admission of Vermont as a State into the Union was elected to the Second Congress. Niles was reelected to the Third Congress and served from October 17, 1791, to March 3, 1795.

After his terms in Congress, Niles was again a member of the State house of representatives in 1800-1803 and 1812-1815, and a member of the Governor’s council 1803-1809. He was twice a presidential elector, for the Thomas Jefferson in 1804 and for James Madison in 1813. He was a delegate to the State constitutional convention of 1814.

Niles died in Fairlee, Vermont on October 31, 1828, and was interred in West Fairlee Center Cemetery.