Charles H. Voorhis
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Voorhis was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from New Jersey
.
. He attended district schools and graduated from Rutgers College
in 1853. He moved to Jersey City, New Jersey
, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1856, commencing practice in Jersey City. He was a delegate to the 1864 Republican National Convention
, was presiding judge of Bergen County, New Jersey
in 1868 and 1869 and was one of the organizers of the Hackensack Improvement Commission in 1869 as well as of Hackensack Academy. Voorhis organized and served as the first president of the Hackensack Water Company
in 1873. Voorhis was one of the founders of both the Bergen County National Bank and the Hackensack Savings Bank in 1868. Both banks failed in the late 1870s, causing losses of approximately $2 million. While Voorhis was indicted for the failure of the banks, he was ultimately acquitted.
He was elected a Republican
to the United States House of Representatives
in 1878, serving from 1879 to 1881, not being a candidate for reelection in 1880.
After leaving Congress, he resumed his former business pursuits. On April 15, 1896, he committed suicide in his office in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey
. He was interred in New York Cemetery in Hackensack, 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...
.
Biography
Voorhis was born in Hackensack, New JerseyHackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
. He attended district schools and graduated from Rutgers College
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1853. He moved to Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1856, commencing practice in Jersey City. He was a delegate to the 1864 Republican National Convention
1864 Republican National Convention
The 1864 Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States, took place from June 7 to June 8, 1864 in Baltimore, Maryland....
, was presiding judge of Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
in 1868 and 1869 and was one of the organizers of the Hackensack Improvement Commission in 1869 as well as of Hackensack Academy. Voorhis organized and served as the first president of the Hackensack Water Company
United Water
United Water Resources, founded as Hackensack Water Company in 1869, has grown into one of the United States's largest water services companies. It is headquartered in Harrington Park, New Jersey. The company owns and operates water and wastewater utilities and also has contracts to operate...
in 1873. Voorhis was one of the founders of both the Bergen County National Bank and the Hackensack Savings Bank in 1868. Both banks failed in the late 1870s, causing losses of approximately $2 million. While Voorhis was indicted for the failure of the banks, he was ultimately acquitted.
He was elected 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 United States House of Representatives
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...
in 1878, serving from 1879 to 1881, not being a candidate for reelection in 1880.
After leaving Congress, he resumed his former business pursuits. On April 15, 1896, he committed suicide in his office in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. He was interred in New York Cemetery in Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
.
External links
- Charles H. Voorhis at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...