James Harper (politician)

James Harper (born March 28, 1780 in Castlederg , County Tyrone , Ireland , †  March 31, 1873 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American politician . Between 1833 and 1837 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .

Career

In his youth, James Harper came to Philadelphia from his homeland in Ireland, where he attended public schools. After that he worked in the manufacture of bricks. Between 1820 and 1830 he was also active in the grocery trade. In the 1820s he joined the movement against future President Andrew Jackson and became a member of the short-lived National Republican Party .

In the congressional election of 1832 , Harper was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the second constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded Henry Horn on March 4, 1833 . After re-election, he was able to complete two legislative terms in Congress until March 3, 1837 . These were determined by the discussions surrounding President Jackson's policies. As a supporter and follower of Henry Clay , Harper was a staunch opponent of Jackson, whose government he accused of corruption. In 1836 he renounced another candidacy.

After his time in the US House of Representatives, Harper returned to working as a brick producer. He also worked temporarily in the real estate industry. In 1869 he retired. He was a member of the Board of Guardians of the Poor and the Committee for the Review of Prisons in his state. James Harper died on March 31, 1873 in Philadelphia, where he was also buried. He was married to Charlotte Alford.

Web links

• James Harper in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• James Harper in the database of Find a Grave (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
Henry Horn	United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania (2nd constituency) with Horace Binney March 4, 1833 - March 3, 1837	George Washington Toland