Thomas M. Edwards
Encyclopedia
Thomas McKey Edwards was a U.S. Representative
from New Hampshire
.
Born in Keene, New Hampshire
, Edwards was tutored privately. He was graduated from Dartmouth College
, Hanover
, in 1813. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1817, commencing practice in Keene, New Hampshire
. He was Postmaster of Keene from June 30, 1818, to July 23, 1829.
Edwards served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives
in 1834, 1836, 1838, and 1839. In 1845, he abandoned his law practice and superintended the construction of the Cheshire Railroad, serving as its first president. He also served as president of a bank and a fire-insurance company.
Edwards was elected as a Republican
to the Thirty-sixth
and Thirty-seventh
Congresses (March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth
Congress. He resumed his former business pursuits and died in Keene
, May 1, 1875. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
Born in Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, Edwards was tutored privately. He was graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Hanover
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
, in 1813. He studied law and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1817, commencing practice in Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
. He was Postmaster of Keene from June 30, 1818, to July 23, 1829.
Edwards served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives
New Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300...
in 1834, 1836, 1838, and 1839. In 1845, he abandoned his law practice and superintended the construction of the Cheshire Railroad, serving as its first president. He also served as president of a bank and a fire-insurance company.
Edwards was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Thirty-sixth
36th United States Congress
The Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...
and Thirty-seventh
37th United States Congress
The Thirty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1861 to March 4, 1863, during the first two...
Congresses (March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth
38th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Before this Congress, the 1860 United States Census and resulting reapportionment changed the size of the House to 241 members...
Congress. He resumed his former business pursuits and died in Keene
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, May 1, 1875. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery.