William Augustus Gilbert (January 25, 1815 – May 25, 1875) was 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 New York.

Biography

Born in

Gilead, Connecticut Hebron is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,098 at the 2020 census. Hebron was incorporated May 26, 1708. In 2010, Hebron was rated #6 in Top Towns in Connecticut with population between 6,500 and 10,000, ...

, Gilbert moved with his parents to

Champion, New York Champion is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 4,494 at the 2010 census. The town is named after General Henry Champion, early owner. The town is on the eastern edge of the county and is east of Watertown. ...

. He attended the public schools. He studied law. He was admitted to the New York bar in 1843 and commenced the practice of law in

Adams, New York Adams is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. Named after President John Adams, the town had a population of 5,143 at the 2010 census. The town contains a village also named Adams. The village and town are south of Watertown. Hi ...

. Active in the Whig Party, he was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

(Jefferson Co., 1st D.) in

1851 Events January–March * January 11 – Hong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion. * January 15 – Christian Female College, modern-day Columbia College, receives its charter from the Missouri General Assembly. ...

and

1852 Events January–March * January 14 – President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte proclaims a new constitution for the French Second Republic. * January 15 – Nine men representing various Jewish charitable organizations come tog ...

. Gilbert was elected as an

Opposition Party Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term ''government'' as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning ''th ...

candidate to the Thirty-fourth Congress and served from March 4, 1855, until his resignation February 27, 1857. While in the House Gilbert was accused of corruption, along with members

William W. Welch William Wickham Welch (December 10, 1818 – July 30, 1892) was an American Party member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut's 4th congressional district from 1855 to 1857. Early life Born in Norfolk, Connecticut, ...

Francis S. Edwards Francis Smith Edwards (May 28, 1817 – May 20, 1899) was a U.S. Representative from New York. Born in Windsor, New York, Edwards completed preparatory studies. He attended Hamilton (New York) College (now Colgate University), but did not ...

, and

Orsamus B. Matteson Orsamus Benajah Matteson (August 28, 1805 – December 22, 1889) was a U.S. Representative from New York. Early life Orsamus Benajah Matteson was born on August 28, 1805, in a log cabin in Verona, New York. He was one of eleven children. He att ...

. They were accused of accepting money, land and stock in exchange for procuring the passage of a bill granting land for the construction of a railroad in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. Gilbert was also accused of agreeing to procure passage of a bill authorizing publication of a book containing details on federal military pension and land bounty laws in exchange for the author dividing the proceeds with him. Gilbert protested the proceedings, and then resigned with four days left in his term rather than face an expulsion vote. Gilbert later became a Republican. He served as president of Adams village in 1859 and 1860. He engaged in the banking business and was also active in other ventures, including railroads. He died in

on May 25, 1875. He was interred in the Rural Cemetery.Elijah J. Clark
Reminiscences of Adams
May 10, 1887, republished on Adams, NY History and Genealogy

References

External links

* *
Hon. William A. Gilbert's Defense
'. 1870. U.S. Government Printing Office. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, William A. 1815 births 1875 deaths People from Hebron, Connecticut New York (state) Whigs Opposition Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) New York (state) Republicans Members of the New York State Assembly People from Champion, New York New York (state) lawyers American bankers Burials in New York (state) 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American businesspeople