Henry Meigs

Henry Meigs (1782-1861), Congressman from New York

Henry Meigs (October 28, 1782 – May 20, 1861) was a U.S. Representative from New York.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Josiah Meigs and Clara (Benjamin) Meigs,^[1] Meigs attended the common schools. He was graduated from Yale College in 1799. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in New York City. He served in the War of 1812 with the rank of adjutant. He served as member of the state assembly in 1818.

Meigs was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Sixteenth Congress (March 4, 1819-March 3, 1821). He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings (Sixteenth Congress). He served as president of the board of aldermen of New York City in 1832 and 1833. He served as judge of one of the city courts and afterward clerk of the court of general sessions.

Meigs was elected recording secretary of the American Institute of the City of New York in 1845, and retained this position in connection with the secretaryship of the Farmers' Club until his death. He died in New York City on May 20, 1861. According to Congressional records, he was interred in St. Ann's Churchyard, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, but church records record that he was originally buried in St. Luke's in New York City and later moved to St. Peter's Churchyard in Perth Amboy.

His son, Henry Meigs, Jr. was the first mayor of Bayonne, New Jersey, and the president of the New York Stock Exchange.

References

• Henry Meigs at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress