Samuel Edwards (Pennsylvania politician)
Samuel Edwards | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Chester Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 21, 1850 (aged 65) Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, politician |
| Years active | 1806–1850 |
| Known for | U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania; chair of House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Navy |
Samuel Edwards (March 12, 1785 – November 21, 1850) was a notable American statesman from Pennsylvania, who represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district between 1819 and 1823, and subsequently for the 4th congressional district from 1823 to 1827.
Early life
Edwards was born in Chester Township, Pennsylvania and pursued legal studies before gaining admission to the Delaware County bar in 1806, launching his law career in Chester, Pennsylvania. Originally aligned with the Federalists, he led a Chester assembly in 1812 that opposed declaring war on Great Britain, though he later backed the United States’ military efforts. In April 1813, Edwards, alongside Thomas D. Anderson, provided personal funding to supply Chester troops during the War of 1812, supporting forces engaged at the Battle of Frenchtown against British troops commanded by Admiral George Cockburn. The local company also took action to defend against British incursions near Elkton, Maryland. In 1814, Edwards enlisted as a private and served as company clerk within the Mifflin Guards, a unit organized by Dr. Samuel Anderson.
Career
While still serving in the military, Edwards secured election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, holding office from 1814 through 1816.
He was elected as a Federalist to both the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses beginning in 1819, maintaining his seat until 1823. Over time, Edwards distanced himself from Federalist ideology. Although he trained under Henry Clay, he chose not to affiliate with the Whig Party.
In 1825, Edwards won election to the Eighteenth Congress from Pennsylvania's 4th district as a Jackson Federalist and was re-elected as a Jacksonian for the Nineteenth Congress. During his tenure in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Congresses, he chaired the United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Navy.
Following his departure from Congress in 1827, Edwards returned to legal practice in Chester. He was chosen as Chief Burgess of Chester in 1832 and later held the position of Inspector of Customs there between 1838 and 1842.
Edwards also assumed leadership roles outside politics, including serving as a director for both the Delaware County National Bank and Delaware Mutual Insurance Company. Additionally, he acted as legal counsel for the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad.
Personal life
His daughter became the wife of General and frontiersman Edward Fitzgerald Beale, while his granddaughter married George Bakhmeteff, who was the final Czarist Russian Ambassador to the United States.
Edwards passed away in Chester in 1850 and was laid to rest at Chester Rural Cemetery.