Thomas Henry (politician)

Thomas Henry (born 1779 in County Down , Ireland , †  July 20, 1849 in Beaver , Pennsylvania ) was an American politician . Between 1837 and 1843 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Thomas Henry grew up in his homeland in Northern Ireland and came to the United States in 1798, where he settled in the city of Beaver. In 1808 he became justice of the peace there; In 1810 he was appointed District Council ( County Commissioner in) Beaver County elected. During the British-American War in 1814 he was captain of a company that was supposed to defend the American northern border against a British invasion. In 1815 he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Between 1816 and 1821 he worked as a court usher; in 1821 he was sheriff in Beaver County. Between 1821 and 1831 he published the Western Argus newspaper. In 1828 and 1829 he was district treasurer. Politically, he was initially a member of the Anti-Masonic Party . In 1840 he moved to the Whigs .

In the congressional election of 1836 , Henry was elected to the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the 24th  constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded John James Pearson on March 4, 1837 . After two re-elections, he was able to complete three legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1843 . The period after 1841 was marked by tension between President John Tyler and the Whigs. In addition, a possible annexation of the Republic of Texas , which has been independent of Mexico since 1836, was already being discussed.

After the end of his time in the US House of Representatives, Thomas Henry no longer appeared politically. He died on July 20, 1849 in Beaver, where he was also buried.

Web links

• Thomas Henry in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Thomas Henry in the database of Find a Grave (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
John James Pearson	United States House Representative for Pennsylvania (24th constituency) March 4, 1837 - March 3, 1843	Joseph Buffington