James Engle fought in the American Revolutionary War, was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....

 from Philadelphia County

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

-History:Tribes of Lenape were the first known occupants in the area which became Philadelphia County. The first European settlers were Swedes and Finns who arrived in 1638. The Netherlands seized the area in 1655, but permanently lost control to England in 1674...

 and served as speaker in 1809.

Military service

Engle enlisted at age 19, (other sources list 18) was a sergeant, ensign (commissioned September 20, 1776), and second lieutenant (promoted 1777) in the Third Regiment Pennsylvania Line. He enlisted in Captain Samuel Watson's company. Engle served in the following locations/battles:

• Canadian campaign
• Ticonderoga
• Germantown
• Valley Forge

Political Activities

Engle was a member of the Democratic Republican party.

He was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1801. (Other Democratic Republicans elected along with him from Philadelphia County included Jacob Holgate

Jacob Holgate

Jacob Holgate was a businessman, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and served as speaker of the House in 1815.-1800s:...

, William Penrose, Elijah Gordon, John Goodman, and George Ingles.) There were no opposition candidates from the Federalist Party.

In 1808, he received 4,374 votes for his seat in the House.

On December 21, 1808, Engle was elected Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Descendants

• Daughter: Sarah Engle, Philadelphia. Married to Robert Patterson.
• Grandson: Robert Emmet Patterson, Philadelphia. Elected to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution: December 11, 1893.

• Great-Granddaughter: Susan Engle Negus, Philadelphia

Sources