Thomas J. Yorke

Thomas Jones Yorke (born March 25, 1801 in Hancock's Bridge , Salem County , New Jersey , †  April 4, 1882 in Salem , New Jersey) was an American politician . Between 1837 and 1839 and again between 1841 and 1843 he represented the state of New Jersey in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Thomas Yorke attended public schools in his home country and the Salem Academy . During the British-American War of 1812 he was a scout for the US Army . He studied law, but without working as a lawyer. After the war of 1812 he worked in Salem in trade. In 1830 Yorke was a tax collector in Salem County. In 1833 and 1834 and from 1845 to 1854 he served as a judge in his home district. He joined the Whig Party in the mid-1835s . In 1835 Yorke was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly .

In the congressional election of 1836 Yorke was elected for the sixth seat of New Jersey in the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , where he succeeded William Norton Shinn on March 4, 1837 . It was also confirmed in 1838 but not approved by Congress. This meant that he could initially only complete one legislative period in Congress until March 3, 1839 . In 1840 Yorke was re-elected to the US House of Representatives and this time also admitted, whereupon he replaced Peter Dumont Vroom on March 4, 1841 , who had become his successor two years earlier. Until March 3, 1843 he was able to spend another term in Congress. At that time he was chairman of the Department of Navy's Expenditures Control Committee. His second term 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 his time in the US House of Representatives, Yorke got into the railroad business. In the following decades he was employed by several railway companies in leading positions. He became a director and president of various companies. Thomas Yorke died in Salem on April 4, 1882.

Web links

• Thomas J. Yorke in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Thomas J. Yorke in the database of Find a Grave (English)