Thomas Tucker Whittlesey (December 8, 1798 – August 20, 1868) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a

U.S. Representative 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

from 1836 to 1839.

Biography

Thomas Tucker Whittlesey was born on December 8, 1798, in

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...

, Whittlesey attended the public schools and graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1817. He then attended

Litchfield Law School The Litchfield Law School of Litchfield, Connecticut, was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietary school was unaffiliated with any college or university. (Whi ...

, was admitted to the bar in 1818.

Career

Whittlesey started a law practice in

. Whittlesey served as a probate judge.

Congress

Whittlesey was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of

Zalmon Wildman Zalmon Wildman (February 16, 1775 – December 10, 1835) was an American businessman and banker who served several months as a United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Repr ...

. He was reelected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the

Twenty-fifth Congress The 25th 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, 183 ...

and served from April 29, 1836, to March 3, 1839. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1838 to the Twenty-sixth Congress.

Later career

He moved to Pheasant Branch, near

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

, in 1846. He resumed practicing law and was also engaged in farming. He served as member of the Wisconsin Senate in 1853 and 1854.

Personal life

Whittlesey married Caroline Holley (1800–1841). He was cousin of

Elisha Whittlesey Elisha Whittlesey (October 19, 1783 – January 7, 1863) was a lawyer, civil servant and U.S. Representative from Ohio. Biography Born in Washington, Connecticut, Whittlesey moved with his parents in early youth to Salisbury, Connecticut. He att ...

and

Frederick Whittlesey Frederick Whittlesey (June 12, 1799 – September 19, 1851) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from New York (state), New York, cousin of Elisha Whittlesey and Thomas Tucker Whittlesey. Born in New Preston, Connec ...

. Whittlesey died on August 20, 1868, in Pheasant Branch, Wisconsin. He was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Whittlesey, Thomas Tucker 1798 births 1868 deaths Connecticut state court judges Yale College alumni Litchfield Law School alumni Politicians from Danbury, Connecticut Politicians from Madison, Wisconsin Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut 19th-century American politicians Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut