Rodman M. Price
Encyclopedia
Rodman McCamley Price was an American Democratic Party
politician, who represented in the United States House of Representatives
from 1851–1853, and served as the 17th Governor of New Jersey
, from 1854 to 1857.
, in Sussex County
on May 5, 1816. He attended the public schools of New York City and the Lawrenceville Academy (a predecessor to today's Lawrenceville School
). Price pursued classical studies at Princeton College, but did not graduate. He studied law and was admitted to the bar.
Price was appointed purser in the United States Navy
in 1840 and was stationed in San Francisco; during the Mexican-American War, he served as an officer of the Navy; prefect and alcalde of Monterey in 1846 and the first American to exercise judicial functions in California; naval agent 1848–1850. In 1849 he was a delegate to the first constitutional convention of California and unsuccessful in the election for the state's first representatives in Congress. On returning to New Jersey he was elected as a Democrat to the 32nd United States Congress
from New Jersey's 5th congressional district
and served from March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1852 to the Thirty-third Congress. He was elected Governor of New Jersey
the following year, serving from 1854–1857, where he became the father of the public-school system of New Jersey. He established a ferry from Weehawken
to New York and engaged in the quarrying business and in the reclamation of lands along the Hackensack River
. Price was a delegate to the Peace conference of 1861
held in Washington, D.C. in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending Civil War
.
Price died in Oakland, New Jersey
on June 7, 1894. He was buried in the Reformed Cemetery, in Mahwah, New Jersey
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, who represented in 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...
from 1851–1853, and served as the 17th Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, from 1854 to 1857.
Biography
Price was born in NewtonNewton, New Jersey
Newton is a town in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 8,244. It is the county seat of Sussex County....
, in Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
on May 5, 1816. He attended the public schools of New York City and the Lawrenceville Academy (a predecessor to today's Lawrenceville School
Lawrenceville School
The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational, independent preparatory boarding school for grades 9–12 located on in the historic community of Lawrenceville, in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, U.S., five miles southwest of Princeton....
). Price pursued classical studies at Princeton College, but did not graduate. He studied law and was admitted to the bar.
Price was appointed purser in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1840 and was stationed in San Francisco; during the Mexican-American War, he served as an officer of the Navy; prefect and alcalde of Monterey in 1846 and the first American to exercise judicial functions in California; naval agent 1848–1850. In 1849 he was a delegate to the first constitutional convention of California and unsuccessful in the election for the state's first representatives in Congress. On returning to New Jersey he was elected as a Democrat to the 32nd United States Congress
32nd United States Congress
The Thirty-second 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, 1851 to March 3, 1853, during the third and...
from New Jersey's 5th congressional district
New Jersey's 5th congressional district
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Scott Garrett. Garrett defeated Democrat Paul Aronsohn and independent candidate R. Matthew Fretz 55%-44% in the United States general elections, 2006....
and served from March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1852 to the Thirty-third Congress. He was elected Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
the following year, serving from 1854–1857, where he became the father of the public-school system of New Jersey. He established a ferry from Weehawken
Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
to New York and engaged in the quarrying business and in the reclamation of lands along the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. Price was a delegate to the Peace conference of 1861
Peace conference of 1861
The Peace Conference of 1861 was a meeting of more than 100 of the leading politicians of the antebellum United States held in Washington, D.C., in February 1861 that was meant to prevent what ultimately became the Civil War. The success of President Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party in the...
held in Washington, D.C. in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Price died in Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House...
on June 7, 1894. He was buried in the Reformed Cemetery, in Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
.
External links
- Biography of Rodman M. Price, New Jersey State LibraryNew Jersey State LibraryThe New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey...
- New Jersey Governor Rodman McCauley Price, National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
- Rodman McCamley Price, The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- Dead Governors of New Jersey bio for Rodman McCamley Price
- Guide to the Rodman M. Price Papers at The Bancroft Library