Johnson Niles (May 2, 1794 – March 23, 1872) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

politician who served one term in the

Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 ...

and two terms in the

Michigan Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...

in the early years of Michigan's statehood. He was an early settler of

Oakland County, Michigan Oakland County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,274,395, making it the second-most populous county in Michigan, b ...

, and the founder of

Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. Its population was 87,294 at the 2020 U.S. census, making Troy the most populous city in the county and the 13th most-populous municipality in the state. Troy is a northern suburb of Me ...

Biography

Johnson Niles was born May 2, 1794, at

Richfield, New York Richfield is a town located in Otsego County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 2,388. The Town of Richfield is located at the northern border of the county. History Richfield Springs was called "Big ...

,His birthplace is given as Richfield, New York, in some sources (, ), and Burlington, Vermont, in another (). Niles reported New York as his birth place in the 1860 census (). the son of Samuel Niles, who was wounded fighting under General

Nathanael Greene Nathanael Greene (June 19, 1786, sometimes misspelled Nathaniel) was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He emerged from the war with a reputation as General George Washington's most talented and dependabl ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. Niles grew up in New York, eventually moving to Steuben County, where Governor

DeWitt Clinton DeWitt Clinton (March 2, 1769February 11, 1828) was an American politician and naturalist. He served as a United States senator, as the mayor of New York City, and as the seventh governor of New York. In this last capacity, he was largely res ...

commissioned him as paymaster of a battalion in the state militia. George Niles Homestead

Niles purchased in

Oakland County Oakland County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Metro Detroit, metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 Census, its population was 1, ...

, in the spring of 1821. He returned to New York to collect his family and brought them to Detroit on a 14-day

schooner A schooner () is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail schoon ...

voyage from

Dunkirk, New York Dunkirk is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It was settled around 1805 and incorporated in 1880. The population was 12,743 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Dunkirk i ...

. He went back to Oakland County, which had fourteen families living in it at the time, and helped erect a number of buildings. He built a log home for himself the following year, and moved his family into it. The settlement became known as Troy Corners, the site of present-day

. The nearest other settlers were 13 miles away, and Niles cut his own road to the settlement, where he began trading with local Native Americans. He grew the business into a full store by 1830, and at that time opened a tavern as well, and later opened a large hotel, the Troy Hotel, on the

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in 1837. He established a reputation as a leader in the state's

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, and a historian noted of him, "It was frequently remarked that no Democratic convention was complete without Johnson Niles". He was commissioned as the first postmaster in Troy in 1823, and held the post until 1840; President

John Tyler John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president dire ...

re-appointed him and he served until the election of President

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

, who appointed Niles's son George to succeed him. Governor

Lewis Cass Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He w ...

appointed him justice of the peace in 1823, and he was repeatedly re-appointed for several more terms. He was appointed a commissioner of

in 1826, and he held the office for several years. In the first election for the newly established

in 1835, Niles was elected to represent

, serving one term. He was elected to the

and served from 1844 to 1845. Rhoda Niles

Niles died on March 23, 1872.

Family

Niles and Rhoda Phelps were married on February 15, 1815, in

Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield� ...

. They had three children: Julia Ann, Orange Jay, and George. Rhoda Niles died on August 7, 1864. George Johnson later returned to live in the family homestead beginning in 1870. Orange Johnson succeeded his father as postmaster in Troy.

Notes

References

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External links

Troy Corners
Michigan Historical Marker at the Niles homestead. {{DEFAULTSORT:Niles, Johnson 1794 births 1872 deaths Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives Democratic Party Michigan state senators 19th-century American politicians People from Richfield, New York People from Troy, Michigan