Thomas Baldwin Peddie
Encyclopedia
Thomas Baldwin Peddie was an American
Republican
politician
who represented in the United States House of Representatives
from 1877 to 1879. Earlier he was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from 1864 to 1865 and the Mayor
of Newark, New Jersey
, from 1866 to 1869.
, Scotland
. His father was a Baptist
exhorter
, working at trunk-making during the week and preaching on Sundays. The elder Peddie died in 1832, leaving his wife and six children in moderate financial circumstances and whose support then depended mainly upon Thomas. Seeing little chance in Scotland of earning a living for so many dependent ones, and hearing of America as the land of opportunity, he emigrated in 1833; after studying the advantages offered by several towns, he concluded to make Hightstown, New Jersey
, his home. For two years he worked at the bench in a saddlery establishment and then, in a basement on Broad Street in Hightstown, began to manufacture trunks, not having, as he said, enough money to pay for the iron on his first trunk. When he died, his factory and warehouses covered nearly a block
, his employees were numbered in the hundreds, and his name stood at the head of this branch of industry in the United States.
; manager of various city institutions; and director of insurance companies and charitable organizations.
The money for the Newark First Baptist Church was given by Peddie. H. J. Latham wrote:
in Newark.
in Hightstown and the Peddie Memorial Baptist Church in Newark are named after him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
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 1877 to 1879. Earlier he was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
from 1864 to 1865 and the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, from 1866 to 1869.
Birth
He was born on February 12, 1808, in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. His father was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
exhorter
Advice (opinion)
Advice is a form of relating personal or institutional opinions, belief systems, values, recommendations or guidance about certain situations relayed in some context to another person, group or party often offered as a guide to action and/or conduct...
, working at trunk-making during the week and preaching on Sundays. The elder Peddie died in 1832, leaving his wife and six children in moderate financial circumstances and whose support then depended mainly upon Thomas. Seeing little chance in Scotland of earning a living for so many dependent ones, and hearing of America as the land of opportunity, he emigrated in 1833; after studying the advantages offered by several towns, he concluded to make Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown, New Jersey
Hightstown is a Borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,494.Hightstown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1853, within portions of East Windsor Township. The borough became...
, his home. For two years he worked at the bench in a saddlery establishment and then, in a basement on Broad Street in Hightstown, began to manufacture trunks, not having, as he said, enough money to pay for the iron on his first trunk. When he died, his factory and warehouses covered nearly a block
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
, his employees were numbered in the hundreds, and his name stood at the head of this branch of industry in the United States.
Public affairs
In addition to his public service described earlier, Peddie helped to found the Essex National Bank and was its vice president; he founded the Security Savings Bank and was its only president; he was president of the Board of TradeBoard of Trade (disambiguation)
-Argentina:*Rosario Board of Trade, a non-profit association based in Rosario, in the Province of Santa Fe-Canada:*Brampton Board of Trade, a business organization first founded in Brampton, Ontario in 1887...
; manager of various city institutions; and director of insurance companies and charitable organizations.
The money for the Newark First Baptist Church was given by Peddie. H. J. Latham wrote:
He said to me, Now, don't mention my name in this service, but pass me by. After the service was over, we walked down Broad Street together, and he said to me, I don't think that you or any of the others quite understand me in this gift. How so? I asked. He replied, Think of it, I came to this city a poor young man. See where I am now! Look at my happy home! Think how many friends I have. Everything I've touched has seemed to prosper. Now, I believe that all this prosperity has come to me from God, and I owe all my religious convictions to the fellowship I have enjoyed all these years in the First Baptist Church. Then pausing and turning abruptly to me he said with great emphasis, I am building this church simply to express my gratitude to God.
U.S. Patent
"This invention has for its object to improve the construction of trunks, valises, portmanteaus, pellesiers, traveling bags, etc., so as to adapt them to receive and carry a portfolio in such a way that while carrying it safely, it may be conveniently removed when required for use." (1870).Death
He died in Newark on February 16, 1889, and is buried in Mount Pleasant CemeteryMount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark
right|thumb|200px|Mourning AngelMount Pleasant Cemetery is a large Victorian-era cemetery in Newark's North Ward. It is located on the west bank of the Passaic River in Newark's Broadway neighborhood, opposite Kearny. It occupies approximately 40 acres and is widely used as a park...
in Newark.
Legacy
The Peddie SchoolPeddie School
The Peddie School is a college preparatory school in Hightstown, New Jersey, United States. It is a nondenominational, coeducational boarding school located on a 280‑acre campus, and serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades, plus a small post-graduate class...
in Hightstown and the Peddie Memorial Baptist Church in Newark are named after him.
External links
- Thomas Baldwin Peddie at 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:...