Rodman M. Price

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Rodman McCamley Price

In office
January 17, 1854 – January 20, 1857
Preceded by George F. Fort
Succeeded by William A. Newell

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 5th district
In office
March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853
Preceded by James G. King
Succeeded by Alexander C.M. Pennington

Born March 5, 1816
Newton, New Jersey
Died June 7, 1894
Oakland, New Jersey
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse Matilda Tranchard
Religion Presbyterian

Rodman McCamley Price (March 5, 1816June 7, 1894) was an American Democratic Party politician, who represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1851-1853, and served as the 17th Governor of New Jersey, from 1854 to 1857.

Price was born in Newton, in Sussex County on May 5, 1816. He attended the public schools of New York City and the Lawrenceville Academy (a predecessor to today's Lawrenceville School). Price pursued classical studies at Princeton College, but did not graduate. He studied law and was admitted to the bar.

Price was appointed purser in the United States Navy in 1840 and was stationed in San Francisco; during the Mexican-American War, he served as an officer of the Navy; prefect and alcalde of Monterey in 1846 and the first American to exercise judicial functions in California; naval agent 1848-1850; delegate to the first constitutional convention of California; returned to New Jersey; elected as a Democrat to the 32nd United States Congress from New Jersey's 5th congressional district, from March 4, 1851March 3, 1853, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1852 to the Thirty-third Congress. He was elected Governor of New Jersey, serving from 1854-1857, where he became the father of the public-school system of New Jersey. He established a ferry from Weehawken to New York and engaged in the quarrying business and in the reclamation of lands along the Hackensack River. Price was a delegate to the Peace conference of 1861 held in Washington, D.C. in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending Civil War.

Price died in Oakland, in Bergen County, on June 7, 1894 and was buried in the Reformed Cemetery, in Mahwah, New Jersey.

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Preceded by
James G. King
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's 5th congressional district

March 4, 1851March 3, 1853
Succeeded by
Alexander C.M. Pennington
Preceded by
George F. Fort
Governor of New Jersey
January 17, 1854 - January 20, 1857
Succeeded by
William A. Newell