Hamilton Fish IV
Encyclopedia
See Hamilton Fish (disambiguation)
for others with the same name
Hamilton Fish, Jr. (or Hamilton Fish IV) (June 3, 1926 – July 23, 1996) was a Republican politician best known as a member of the U.S. Congressional Delegation from New York.
Fish was the son of Grace Chapin and Hamilton Fish III
(1888–1991), grandson of Hamilton Fish II
(1849–1936) and Alfred C. Chapin
, great-grandson of Hamilton Fish
(1808–1893), a descendant of Lewis Morris
, and a cousin of the Kean
family of New Jersey
politicians. His son, Hamilton Fish V
, ran for Congress in 1988 and 1994 as a Democrat without success.
and attended the prestigious private Kent School
. He graduated from Harvard University
in 1949 and received an LL.B. from New York University School of Law
in 1957. He also attended Harvard's Graduate School of Public Administration. While in college, Fish was a member of the United States Naval Reserve.
From 1951 to 1953, Fish served in Ireland
as the vice consul to the nation from the United States Foreign Service
. He practiced law privately before his election to the House, and in 1961, Fish served as a lawyer for the New York State Assembly
's Judiciary Committee.
and was re-elected to the 12 succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1995. He narrowly defeated G. Gordon Liddy
in the 1968 Republican primary to win the nomination. He was a leader of the liberal
wing of the Republican party. As a member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary in 1974, he voted in favor of the first two of the three Articles of Impeachment
(for obstruction of justice
and abuse of power
) of President Richard Nixon
. Fish is one of several senior Congressmen who served as managers during the impeachment trials of two federal judges, Harry E. Claiborne
and Alcee Hastings
, in 1986 and 1988, respectively.
Hamilton Fish (disambiguation)
Hamilton Fish may refer to:*Hamilton Fish , Governor of New York and U.S. Secretary of State*Hamilton Fish II , son of Hamilton Fish, Republican Congressman...
for others with the same name
Hamilton Fish, Jr. (or Hamilton Fish IV) (June 3, 1926 – July 23, 1996) was a Republican politician best known as a member of the U.S. Congressional Delegation from New York.
Fish was the son of Grace Chapin and Hamilton Fish III
Hamilton Fish III
Hamilton Fish III was a soldier and politician from New York State...
(1888–1991), grandson of Hamilton Fish II
Hamilton Fish II
Hamilton Fish II was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the son of Julia Ursin Niemcewicz Kean and Hamilton Fish. He graduated from Columbia College of Columbia University, where he was a member of St...
(1849–1936) and Alfred C. Chapin
Alfred C. Chapin
Alfred Clark Chapin was an American lawyer and politician.-Early life:...
, great-grandson of Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish was an American statesman and politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York, United States Senator and United States Secretary of State. Fish has been considered one of the best Secretary of States in the United States history; known for his judiciousness and reform efforts...
(1808–1893), a descendant of Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris was an American landowner and developer from Morrisania, New York. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Continental Congress for New York....
, and a cousin of the Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
family of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
politicians. His son, Hamilton Fish V
Hamilton Fish V
Hamilton Fish is a publisher, social entrepreneur, environmental advocate, and film producer in New York City. He was born in Washington, D.C. to Hamilton and Julia MacKenzie Fish. He attended schools in New York City and Massachusetts, where he graduated from Harvard University in 1973...
, ran for Congress in 1988 and 1994 as a Democrat without success.
Early life
Fish was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and attended the prestigious private Kent School
Kent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
. He graduated from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1949 and received an LL.B. from New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
in 1957. He also attended Harvard's Graduate School of Public Administration. While in college, Fish was a member of the United States Naval Reserve.
From 1951 to 1953, Fish served in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as the vice consul to the nation from the United States Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
. He practiced law privately before his election to the House, and in 1961, Fish served as a lawyer for the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
's Judiciary Committee.
Career
Fish was elected as a Republican to the 91st United States Congress91st United States Congress
The Ninety-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1971, during the first two years...
and was re-elected to the 12 succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1995. He narrowly defeated G. Gordon Liddy
G. Gordon Liddy
George Gordon Liddy was the chief operative for the White House Plumbers unit that existed from July–September 1971, during Richard Nixon's presidency. Separately, along with E. Howard Hunt, Liddy organized and directed the Watergate burglaries of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in...
in the 1968 Republican primary to win the nomination. He was a leader of the liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
wing of the Republican party. As a member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary in 1974, he voted in favor of the first two of the three Articles of Impeachment
Articles of impeachment
The articles of impeachment are the set of charges drafted against a public official to initiate the impeachment process. The articles of impeachment do not result in the removal of the official, but instead require the enacting body to take further action, such as bringing the articles to a vote...
(for obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
and abuse of power
Abuse of Power
Abuse of Power is a novel written by radio talk show host Michael Savage.- Plot :Jack Hatfield is a hardened former war correspondent who rose to national prominence for his insightful, provocative commentary...
) of President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Fish is one of several senior Congressmen who served as managers during the impeachment trials of two federal judges, Harry E. Claiborne
Harry E. Claiborne
Harry Eugene Claiborne was a United States district court judge who was impeached for tax evasion. He was only the fifth person in U.S. history to be removed from office through impeachment by the U.S...
and Alcee Hastings
Alcee Hastings
Alcee Lamar Hastings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, in 1986 and 1988, respectively.
External links
- Biography and index to papers
- Desmond-Fish Library Public Library co-founded by Hamilton Fish IV. Library has many Fish family artifacts, papers and portraits on display.
- LiSA (Livingston-Svirsky Archive) Contains many online documents on the Fish Family.