Jonathan Williams (engineer)

Jonathan Williams ( born May 20, 1751 Boston, Massachusetts, † May 16, 1815 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American soldier and politician. In 1815 he represented the State of Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. Previously, he was twice head of the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Career

Jonathan Williams was a grandnephew of Benjamin Franklin. He studied at Harvard University, among others. Between 1770 and 1785, he spent most of his time in France and England, where he was temporarily secretary to his great-uncle. He supported his political missions and also worked as a commercial agent for the then newly formed United States. During this time he also studied military affairs. In 1785 he returned to the United States, where he settled in Philadelphia. There he was appeal judges, suggesting an earlier study of law. On February 16, 1801, he resigned as a Major in the United States Army. There he was assigned to the pioneers ( Engineers). In December 1801, he was appointed by the new President Thomas Jefferson to the first conductor, founded at that time Military Academy at West Point. This post he held 1801-1803 and again from 1805 to 1812.

Williams was also involved in the construction of fortifications in New York harbor. During his military service, he rose to the colonel. At the outbreak of the British - American War he expected to be appointed commander of the defenses of New York City. From anger at the failure to appeal to this command he joined on 31 July 1812 by his post at West Point from back and from the U.S. Army. He returned to Philadelphia, where he commanded a group of volunteers pioneers who strengthened the fortifications there. Otherwise, he devoted himself to literary, military, and scientific topics.

In the congressional elections of 1814, Williams was the candidate of the Democratic-Republican party in the first election District of Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC chosen, where he became the successor of Charles Jared Ingersoll on March 4, 1815. He died on May 16, 1815 in Philadelphia, before the inaugural session of Congress.