James Findlay (Cincinnati mayor)

James Findlay ( born October 12, 1770 in Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, † December 28, 1835 in Cincinnati, Ohio ) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. In the years 1805 to 1806 and from 1810 to 1811 he was mayor of Cincinnati. From 1825 to 1833 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the United States for the 1st Congressional District of the State of Ohio.

Biography

James Findlay was born in Mercersburg, the son of Samuel Findlay and Jane Smith. He had two brothers, William Findlay, who later became governor of Pennsylvania was, and John Findlay, who later represented Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives. After his father suffered financial setbacks, he moved with his wife Jane Irwin in 1793 to Cincinnati in the former Northwest Territory. Together with the late Senator John Smith, he was very soon an influential businessman. From 1799 to 1802 he was the first representative of the Hamilton County in the House of Representatives of the Northwest Territory. In 1802 he was United States Marshal for the Ohio Country. In 1805 he was first mayor of Cincinnati. This tenure lasted until 1806. From 1810 to 1811 he was again mayor. In the British -American War of 1812 he served in the U.S. Army as a Colonel.

In 1825 he was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives. His term lasted until 1833, after Robert Todd Lytle was able to defeat him. In 1834 he ran unsuccessfully for the post of governor, Robert Lucas, the incumbent, was able to prevail as expected.

Findlay died in 1835 and was buried at the Spring Grove Cemetery.

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