Joseph Bloomfield | |
|---|---|
 painting byCharles Willson Peale | |
| 4th Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office October 29, 1803 – October 29, 1812 | |
| Preceded by | John Lambert (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Aaron Ogden |
| In office October 31, 1801 – October 28, 1802 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Howell |
| Succeeded by | John Lambert (acting) |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's at-large congressional district | |
| In office March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821 | |
| Preceded by | Ezra Baker |
| Succeeded by | George Cassedy |
| Mayor of Burlington, New Jersey | |
| In office 1795–1800 | |
| Preceded by | Bowes Reed |
| Succeeded by | James Sterling |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1753-10-18)October 18, 1753 |
| Died | October 3, 1823(1823-10-03) (aged 69) Burlington, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | Saint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard |
| Party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary McIlvaine (1752–1818) Isabella Ramsey (1779–1871) |
Joseph Bloomfield (October 18, 1753 – October 3, 1823) was the fourthgovernor of New Jersey. He also served two terms in theUnited States House of Representatives from 1817 to 1821.
The township ofBloomfield, New Jersey, is named for him.
Joseph Bloomfield was born inWoodbridge in theProvince of New Jersey to Moses Bloomfield, a physician, and Sarah Ogden on October 18, 1753. Moses Bloomfield was a surgeon and anabolitionist who representedMiddlesex County in theProvincial Congress of New Jersey.
Joseph was educated at Reverend Enoch Green's school inDeerfield Township, New Jersey, where Green was the pastor of the local Presbyterian Church. Bloomfield studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1775 and began his law practice inBridgeton, New Jersey. He entered theContinental Army ascaptain of the3rd New Jersey Regiment on February 9, 1776. He attained the rank ofmajor on November 28, 1776, and was appointed judge advocate of the northern army. He was wounded at theBattle of Brandywine in September 1777. He resigned from the Continental Army on October 28, 1778, after he was elected clerk of theNew Jersey General Assembly.
In 1794, Bloomfield led Federal and New Jersey state troops to put down theWhiskey Rebellion, a popular uprising conducted by Appalachian settlers who resisted the excise tax on liquor and distilled drinks, nearPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1795 to 1800 he served asMayor of Burlington, New Jersey.[1]
At the start of theWar of 1812 Bloomfield was commissioned as abrigadier general in theUnited States Army on March 13, 1812. He served until June 15, 1815, along theCanada–US border.
Joseph married Mary McIlvaine (1752–1818), the daughter of William McIlvaine (1722–1770), a physician fromBurlington, New Jersey. Her brother,Col. Joseph McIlvaine (1749–1787), was the father ofJoseph McIlvaine (1769–1826),United States Senator fromNew Jersey.[2] They had no children.
After the death of his first wife, he married Isabella Ramsey (1779–1871), the daughter of John Ramsey.
At the close of the Revolutionary War, Bloomfield became one of the founding members of TheSociety of the Cincinnati in the state of New Jersey,[3][4] and served as the State Society's president from 1808 until his death in 1823.[5]
He practiced law in Burlington, New Jersey, and was the registrar of theadmiralty court from 1779 to 1783.
He served as theNew Jersey attorney general from 1783 to 1792 and as atrustee ofPrinceton College from 1793 until his death. He was electedGovernor of New Jersey as a Democratic-Republican and served in office from 1801 to 1802 and from 1803 to 1812.
In 1814, Bloomfield was elected a member of theAmerican Antiquarian Society.[6]
Bloomfield was elected as aDemocratic-Republican to theFifteenth United States Congress and reelected to theSixteenth Congress from March 4, 1817, through March 3, 1821, where he representedNew Jersey's at-large congressional district. While in Congress, he led theCommittee on Revolutionary Pensions.[7] Bloomfield ran for, but was not elected to, theSeventeenth Congress. He also previously ran in the 1795 and 1797 elections for the at-large seat, both of in which the top 5 would win; he finished 7th both times.[8][9]
Bloomfield died in Burlington, New Jersey, on October 3, 1823, and was buried inSaint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard in Burlington.[10]
In 1796, what had been known as the Old First Church was formed and was named the Presbyterian Society of Bloomfield in honor of Joseph Bloomfield. When the Township of Bloomfield was formed, the name was taken from the name of the church.[11]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | New Jersey Attorney General 1783–1792 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of New Jersey October 31, 1801 – October 28, 1802 | Succeeded by John Lambert Acting Governor |
| Preceded by John Lambert Acting Governor | Governor of New Jersey October 29, 1803 – October 29, 1812 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's at-large congressional district March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821 alongside Ephraim Bateman | Succeeded by |
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| Dominion of New England (1688–89) | ||
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| State (since 1776) |
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* UnderN.J.S.A. 52:15-5 (as amended in 2005), an acting governor serving for 180 continuous days or more is conferred the title of Governor. | ||
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| National | |
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