Charles G. DeWitt

Charles G. DeWitt
United States Chargé d'Affaires, Guatemala
In office December 17, 1833 – January 1, 1839
Preceded by	John Williams
Succeeded by	Elijah Hise
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 7th district
In office March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831
Preceded by	George O. Belden
Succeeded by	John C. Brodhead
Personal details
Born	November 7, 1789 Kingston, New York, U.S.
Died	April 12, 1839 (aged 49) Newburgh, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Dutch Reformed Cemetery Hurley, New York
Citizenship	US
Political party	Jacksonian
Relations	Charles DeWitt
Profession	Lawyer, politician

Charles Gerrit DeWitt (November 7, 1789 – April 12, 1839) was an American lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of New York. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and as United States Chargé d'Affaires to Guatemala.

Early life

DeWitt was born in Kingston, New York. He studied law and began the practice of law in Kingston. He was a clerk in the Navy Department and published a newspaper, The Ulster Sentinel, beginning in 1826.^[1][2]

Political career

He represented New York's 7th district as a Jacksonian in the 21st Congress, serving from March 4, 1829 to March 3, 1831.^[3] After leaving Congress he resumed the practice of law. On March 22, 1831, he was appointed by Secretary of the Treasury Samuel D. Ingham as one of three Commissioners of Insolvency for the Southern District of New York.^[4] He was appointed United States Chargé d'Affaires to Guatemala in 1833, and served in that position until 1839.^[5]

He died in Newburgh, New York on April 12, 1839, and is interred in the Dutch Reformed Cemetery in Hurley, New York.

Family life

DeWitt's father Gerrit DeWitt was a miller, and his grandfather Charles DeWitt was a delegate to the Continental Congress.^[6]

Notes

1. "About The Ulster sentinel. (Kingston, N.Y.) 1826-1840". Library of Congress. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
2. Brink, Benjamin Myer (1913). Olde Ulster; an Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Volume 9. Benjamin Myer Brink. p. 280. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
3. Herringshaw, Thomas William (1909). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States; Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits. American Publishers' Association. p. 263. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
4. the american almanac and repository of useful knowledge for the year 1833. 1832. p. 102. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
5. "DeWitt Family Papers, 1750-1890". New York State Library. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
6. "DE WITT, Charles, (1727 - 1787)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,. Retrieved July 31, 2014.

External links

• United States Congress. "Charles G. DeWitt (id: D000284)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.