James B. Findlay | |
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Ohio'sfirst district | |
| In office March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833 | |
| Preceded by | James W. Gazlay |
| Succeeded by | Robert Todd Lytle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1770-10-12)October 12, 1770 |
| Died | December 28, 1835(1835-12-28) (aged 65) Cincinnati,Ohio, U.S. |
| Resting place | Spring Grove Cemetery inCincinnati,Ohio, U.S. |
| Party | |
| Spouse | Jane Irwin |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
James B. Findlay (October 12, 1770 – December 28, 1835) was an American merchant, politician and veteran of the War of 1812, having served with both the state militia and theUnited States Army. He was based inCincinnati,Ohio after migrating there as a young man. He was elected as mayor of Cincinnati to two non-successive terms.
For defenses in theWar of 1812, he supervised construction ofFort Findlay, which was named for him. In 1824, he was elected to multiple terms in the US House of Representatives, serving from 1825 to 1833.
Findlay was born inMercersburg in theProvince of Pennsylvania, to Samuel Findlay and Jane Smith. He had two older brothers,John andWilliam. All three brothers became politicians: John Findlay served in theU.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, and William Findlay served two separate periods as governor of Pennsylvania.
After their father suffered financial setbacks, Findlay moved to theNorthwest Territory in 1793 with his wife Jane Irwin (1769–1851). There, in partnership withJohn Smith, he soon became a leading merchant and influential in the young city ofCincinnati. He was elected to the legislature of theNorthwest Territory in 1798. In 1802, he was appointed as theUnited States Marshal for the Northwest Territory.
In 1800, Findlay was appointed as receiver of public money at the Cincinnati Public Land Office, as settlers arrived in the Northwest Territory seeking land. As such, he was the region's most visible federal official and a central figure in the business and politics of Cincinnati.
After statehood, he was elected in 1804 as mayor of Cincinnati, serving into 1806. He was re-elected in 1810, serving through 1811.[1][2] Findlay participated in the Ohio statemilitia, attaining the rank ofbrigadier general.
In 1806 and 1807, Findlay helped to quash theBurr conspiracy. That required him to confront his partner Smith, an alleged conspirator. In theWar of 1812, Findlay was commissioned as a colonel in theUnited States Army, and commanded the2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He marched north with GeneralWilliam Hull. He opposed Hull's disastrous decision tosurrender Detroit. Afterward Findlay was promoted tomajor general in the Ohio militia, and builtFort Findlay in 1812, which was named for him. Present-dayFindlay, Ohio developed around it.
Findlay was elected in 1824 to representOhio's 1st congressional district in theNineteenth andTwentieth Congresses. He was next elected as aJacksonian Democrat to theTwenty-first andTwenty-second Congresses, serving in total from March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833. Findlay eventually broke with the Jackson Democrats.
He was defeated for reelection to the House in1832. As anAnti-Jacksonian, he lost a bid forGovernor of Ohio in 1834.
He died in Cincinnati in 1835 and was buried atSpring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati.
Fort Findlay was named for him, as he had directed its construction.
The City of Findlay founded at the site of Fort Findlay is named after him.[3]
Findlay Market and the adjacent Findlay Street are built on land donated to Cincinnati by the estate of General Findlay and his wife Jane Irwin Findlay.[4]
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