James Hillhouse

James Hillhouse
United States Senator from Connecticut
In office December 6, 1796 – June 10, 1810
Preceded by	Oliver Ellsworth
Succeeded by	Samuel W. Dana
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's At-Large district
In office March 4, 1791 – December 5, 1796
Preceded by	Benjamin Huntington
Succeeded by	James Davenport
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office 1780–1785
Personal details
Born	October 20, 1754 Montville, Connecticut
Died	December 29, 1832(1832-12-29) (aged 78) New Haven, Connecticut
Resting place	Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut
Political party	Federalist
Alma mater	Yale University

James Hillhouse (October 20, 1754 – December 29, 1832) was an American lawyer, real estate developer, and politician from New Haven, Connecticut. He represented Connecticut in both the U.S. House and Senate. Hillhouse is responsible for much of the current look of New Haven, and was for many years the treasurer of Yale University.

James was born in Montville, Connecticut, the son of William Hillhouse, and adopted by his childless uncle and aunt, James Abraham and Mary Lucas Hillhouse. He graduated from Yale in 1773 and was admitted to the bar in 1775. He became a captain in Governor's Foot Guards of the militia in the Revolutionary War.

Hillhouse was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, 1780, United States Congressman from Connecticut at-large, 1791–96, and United States Senator from Connecticut, 1796–1810.

Commission for James HIllhouse in the Governor's Foot Guards, June, 1779

He was active in the drive to plant the elm trees that gave New Haven the nickname of the Elm City. Hillhouse Avenue and James Hillhouse High School in New Haven are named for him. He died in New Haven in 1832 and is buried at the Grove Street Cemetery there.

In 1803, he and several other New England politicians proposed secession of New England from the union due to growing influence of Jeffersonian democrats and the Louisiana Purchase which they felt would further diminish Northern influence. In 1814-15 he was a Connecticut delegate to the Hartford Convention.

He was a nephew of Matthew Griswold, and uncle of Thomas Hillhouse.

External links

• James Hillhouse at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• [1] James Hillhouse High School website

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Benjamin Huntington	U.S. Representative from Connecticut (at large) March 4, 1791 – December 5, 1796	Succeeded by James Davenport
United States Senate
Preceded by Oliver Ellsworth	United States Senator (Class 1) from Connecticut 1796 – 1810 Served alongside: Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., Uriah Tracy, Chauncey Goodrich	Succeeded by Samuel W. Dana
Political offices
Preceded by John E. Howard	President pro tempore of the United States Senate February 28, 1801 – March 3, 1801	Succeeded by Abraham Baldwin