Charles Naylor (October 6, 1806 – December 24, 1872) was an American politician fromPennsylvania who served as aWhig party member of theUnited States House of Representatives forPennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1837 to 1841. During thePhiladelphia nativist riots, he was arrested while preventing militia troops from firing on nativist rioters. He raised a company of volunteers, known as the Philadelphia Rangers, and served as captain during theMexican-American War.

Naylor was born on October 6, 1806, inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.^[1] At a young age he readJohn Neal's poemBattle of Niagara and became inspired by Neal's life.^[2] He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828 and began to practice law in Philadelphia.^[1]

He held several local offices, and was an unsuccessful candidate for election in1836 to theTwenty-fifth Congress.

He was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofFrancis Jacob Harper. There were allegations of fraud during the election againstCharles J. Ingersoll. Local election officials certified Ingersoll as the winner while state officials declared Naylor the winner. Both candidates claimed victory and appeared in Washington D.C. to claim the seat. Congress declared Naylor the winner by 775 votes and he was sworn into office.^[3] He was reelected to theTwenty-sixth Congress. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in1840. He resumed the practice of law.^[1]

In July 1844, during thePhiladelphia nativist riots inSouthwark, he prevented militia under the command ofGen. George Cadwalader from firing on a group ofnativist protesters. Naylor and several others were arrested and held within a church. By the morning of July 7, most of the soldiers had left, but the crowds, led by an alderman and the sheriff, returned and demanded that the remaining guard release Naylor. Everyone except Naylor was released. The crowds grew, and a cannon was brought from a nearbywharf and used to threaten the church. After further negotiations, Naylor was released and carried home to cheers on people's shoulders.^[4][5]

During theMexican–American War, Naylor raised a company of volunteers called the Philadelphia Rangers (also known as the "Killers and Bouncers")^[6] and served as captain. The company was praised by GeneralRobert Patterson for their actions at theBattle of Cerro Gordo.^[7]

After the war he settled inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued the practice of law. He returned to Philadelphia and practiced law. He died on December 24, 1872,^[1] and was interred inLaurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.^[8]

• Speech of Charles Naylor, of Pennsylvania, on the Bill Imposing Additional Duties as Depositaries, in Certain Cases on Public Officers. Delivered in the House of Representatives, United States, October 13, 1837., Washington: Printed at the Office of the National Register, 1837
• Speech of Charles Naylor, of Pennsylvania, on the Bill Imposing Additional Duties, as Depositaries, in Certain Cases, on Public Officers. Delivered in the House of Representatives, U.S., October 13, 1837, Philadelphia: King & Baird, Printers, 1862

• The Political Graveyard

• 1806 births
• 1872 deaths
• 19th-century American lawyers
• American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
• Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia)
• Lawyers from Philadelphia
• Lawyers from Pittsburgh
• Military personnel from Philadelphia
• Politicians from Philadelphia
• Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
• 19th-century people from Pennsylvania
• 19th-century United States representatives

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata