James Schureman (February 12, 1756January 22, 1824) was an American merchant and statesman from
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...]
in the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
as well as the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
and
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
.
Biography
James was born in
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
in the
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1783. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland but came under English rule after the ...
and attended Queen's College (now
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
), graduating in 1775.
When he graduated he raised a volunteer company in New Brunswick and led it as Captain in the
Middlesex County militia. He led them in the
Battle of Brooklyn
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, was an action of the American Revolutionary War fought on August 27, 1776, at the western edge of Long Island in present-day Brooklyn, New Yor ...
on August 27, 1776 where he was captured. He was held as a prisoner of war until early in the spring of 1777 when he escaped to rejoin the
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...
at
Morristown.
Schureman returned to New Brunswick and took up a mercantile career while still serving in the militia. He was elected to the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...
from 1783 to 1785. In 1786, New Jersey sent him as a delegate to the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
. That same year he was one of those at the
Annapolis Convention that called for a new constitution for the United States. He continued in the Congressional session of 1787, then was returned to the state assembly in 1788.
When the United States was formed, Schureman was elected to the
First House of Representatives, serving from 1789 until 1791. He served two other terms in the House, in the
9th Congress (1797–1799) and
14th Congress (1813–1815). He was elected to the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
to complete the term of
John Rutherfurd
John Rutherfurd (September 20, 1760February 23, 1840) was an American politician and land surveyor. He represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1791 to 1798.
Early life
John Rutherfurd was born on September 20, 1760 in New York C ...
and served there from 1799 to 1801. Between these duties he served a number of years as the
Mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey
The Mayor of New Brunswick is head of the executive branch of the government of New Brunswick, New Jersey.
References
{{reflist
*
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and t ...
including 1792–1794, 1801–1813, and 1821–1824. He also represented
Middlesex County, New Jersey
Middlesex County is located in central New Jersey, United States, extending inland from the Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was enumerated at 863,1 ...
on the
New Jersey Legislative Council
The New Jersey Legislative Council was the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature under the New Jersey Constitution of 1776 until it was replaced by the New Jersey Senate under the Constitution of 1844.
History
The Legislative Council replaced ...
for the 1808, 1810, and 1812–1813 sessions of the legislature, serving as
Vice-President of Council The Vice-President of Council of the New Jersey Legislature would succeed the Governor (who was the President of the Council) if a vacancy occurred in that office.
List of past vice-presidents of Council
The following is a list of past vice-preside ...
in the latter session.
When Schureman died in 1824 at New Brunswick, he was buried in the churchyard of the
First Dutch Reformed Church there. The church and cemetery still stand and are located at Neilson and Bayard Streets.
References
External links
*
Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schureman, James
1756 births
1824 deaths
Continental Congressmen from New Jersey
18th-century American politicians
United States senators from New Jersey
Rutgers University alumni
American people of Dutch descent
Mayors of New Brunswick, New Jersey
Members of the New Jersey Legislative Council
Members of the New Jersey General Assembly
Federalist Party United States senators
People of colonial New Jersey
Burials in New Jersey
Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey
Colonial American merchants
People from New Brunswick, New Jersey