Legislator Details
Portrait of John Biddle scanned from Rep.Dist. 1 on page following p.18.
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married Eliza F. Bradish of NY in 1819
Number of Children: 0
Background
Education:
Princeton College graduate
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Charles Biddle, vice-pres. of Pennsylvania during the Revolution. John held several Territorial posts. Major in the war of 1812; Indian agent. Major Biddle was born in Philadelphia in 1792, of Revolutionary stock. He graduated at Princeton college, entered the United States army, served with distinction during most of the war of 1812 as a Captain of artillery, and was promoted to be Major. He was stationed at Detroit (which thereafter became his home) at the close of the war, resigning, however, after a few years to engage in civil pursuits. His principal official positions during his life were: Register of the land office at Detroit-the district including the whole territory -from the time the public lands were placed in market until 1832; delegate in congress from the territory, 1829 to 1831; member and president of the first Constitutional Convention (1835); and member and speaker of the House of Representatives in 1841. A Whig in politics, he was made president of the Constitutional Convention (a democratic body), and later on a democratic Senate gave him its majority vote for United States Senator, although he failed of election through the adverse vote of the House. Among other responsible trusts, while register of the land office, he acted as one of the commissioners for adjusting land claims growing out of French and Indian titles at the various settlements on the lakes, and was connected in various ways with the conduct of Indian affairs; was named one of the regents of the University as it was projected by the territorial government, and was commissioned to attend to the sale of certain University lands then subject to sale. He was the whig candidate for governor at the first state election. Major Biddle was active in municipal and societary affairs, and being a fine scholar and elegant writer he contributed to the instruction of the people of Detroit in the way of lectures, in connection with Gen. Cass, Gen. Henry Whiting and Mr. Schoolcraft, at a time when the means of local instruction and amusement were necessarily limited. These papers are preserved in the "Historical Sketches of Michigan." He was a vestryman and liberal patron of of St. Paul's (Episcopal) church, of Detroit, the pioneer church of that denomination in the Northwest, outside of Ohio. He died at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, in 1859. He raised a large family, several of his children surviving him
Notable Facts:
One of the authors of 'Historical Sketches of Michigan'