Caleb Tompkins | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district |
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In office 1817–1821 |
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Preceded by | Jonathan Ward |
Succeeded by | Jeremiah H. Pierson |
Member of the New York State Assembly for Westchester County |
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In office 1804–1806 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Scarsdale, New York, United States |
December 22, 1759
Died | January 1, 1846 Scarsdale, New York, United States |
(aged 86)
Resting place | First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, White Plains, New York, United States |
Political party | Republican |
Other political affiliations |
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Relatives | Daniel D. Tompkins (brother) |
Caleb Tompkins (December 22, 1759 – January 1, 1846) was a U.S. Representative from New York, and the brother of Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins.
Caleb Tompkins was born on the Fox Meadows estate near Scarsdale, New York on December 22, 1759, and was the eldest son of Jonathan G. Tompkins, a prominent judge and landowner. He was educated locally, and trained for a legal career.
Tompkins served as a Private in the 2nd Regiment of Westchester County Militia (Thomas's Regiment) during the American Revolution. In October, 1776 he fled his home to escape British troops, successfully evading capture by submerging himself in a nearby swamp. This incident was known to James Fenimore Cooper, who used a fictionalized version of it in his 1821 novel The Spy.
Tompkins remained in the militia after the war, and was a Captain when he resigned in 1797.
Tompkins studied law, attained admission to the bar, and practiced in Westchester County. He also inherited Fox Meadows, where he resided throughout his life.
An Anti-Federalist who became a member of the Democratic-Republican Party and later a Democrat who identified with the Bucktails and Jacksonians, he was Scarsdale's first Town Clerk, and held other local offices including Town Supervisor.