Martin Russell Thayer
Martin Russell Thayer (born January 27, 1819 in Dinwiddie County , Virginia , † October 14, 1906 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American politician . Between 1863 and 1867 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .
Career
Martin Thayer was a cousin of Sylvanus Thayer (1785–1872), who between 1817 and 1833 directed the United States Military Academy at West Point . He attended Mount Pleasant Classical Institute in Amherst ( Massachusetts ) and the local Amherst College . In 1837 he moved with his father to Philadelphia, where he studied at the University of Pennsylvania until 1840 . After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer in 1842, he began to work in Philadelphia in this profession. He later embarked on a political career as a member of the Republican Party founded in 1854 . In 1862 he was tasked with revising the tax laws of the state of Pennsylvania.
In the congressional elections of 1862 Thayer was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the fifth constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded William Morris Davis on March 4, 1863 . After re-election, he was able to complete two legislative terms in Congress until March 3, 1867 . These were shaped by the events of the civil war until 1865 . Since 1865, the work of Congress had been weighed down by tension between Republicans and President Andrew Johnson . During his tenure as a congressman, Thayer chaired the private land claims committee. In 1866 he renounced another candidacy.
After the end of his time in the US House of Representatives, he initially practiced as a lawyer again. From 1867 to 1874 he was a district judge in Philadelphia and from 1874 to 1896 an appeal judge, also in Philadelphia. In 1873 he also became a member of the governing body of the Military Academy at West Point. He also dealt with literary matters. He died in Philadelphia on October 14, 1906.
Web links
- Martin Russell Thayer in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
- Martin Russell Thayer in the database of Find a Grave (English)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| William Morris Davis |
United States House Representative for Pennsylvania (5th constituency) March 4, 1863 - March 3, 1867 |
Caleb Newbold Taylor |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Thayer, Martin Russell |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 27, 1819 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dinwiddie County , Virginia |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 14, 1906 |
| Place of death | Philadelphia , Pennsylvania |