MADISON, James, Jr., Congress, VA (1751-1836)

MADISON James, Jr. , a Delegate and a Representative from Virginia and 4th President of the United States; born in Port Conway, King George County, Va., March 16, 1751; studied under private tutors and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1771; member of the committee of safety from Orange County in 1774; delegate in the Williamsburg (Va.) convention of May 1776; member of the First General Assembly of Virginia in 1776 and was unanimously elected a member of the executive council in 1778; Member of the Continental Congress 1780-1783 and 1787-1788; delegate in the Federal Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1787 and signed the Constitution; elected to as an Anti-Administration candidate to the First Congress, Second and Third Congresses and reelected as a Republican to the Fourth Congress (March 4, 1789-March 3, 1797); declined the mission to France, tendered by President Washington in 1794, and also the position of Secretary of State, tendered the same year; again a member of the Virginia Assembly from Orange County in 1799; appointed by President Jefferson as Secretary of State on March 5, 1801; entered upon the duties of that office May 2, 1801, and served until March 4, 1809; elected President of the United States in 1808; reelected in 1812 and served from March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1817; retired to his estate, "Montpelier," Orange County, Va.; delegate in the Virginia constitutional convention of 1829; rector of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and visitor to the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va.; died at Montpelier on June 28, 1836; interment in the private cemetery of Montpelier.

Bibliography

Padover, Saul Kussiel, ed. The Complete Madison: His Basic Writings. New York: Harper, 1953; Wills, Garry. James Madison. New York: Times Books, 2002.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present