Charles Bodle

Charles Bodle (July 1, 1788 – October 30, 1835) was an American politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1833 to 1835. A member of the Jackson Party, or Jacksonian movement, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his constituents in the early years of the Jacksonian era.

Bodle was born near Poughkeepsie, New York, on July 1, 1788. Little is recorded about his parents or early childhood, but his origins in the Hudson Valley region placed him in a part of New York that was experiencing gradual growth and development in the post-Revolutionary period. He learned the trade of wagon making, a skilled craft that was essential to transportation and commerce in the early nineteenth century, and this occupation provided the foundation for his livelihood and early standing in his community.

By the time he settled in Bloomingburg, in what is now Sullivan County, New York, Bodle had established himself as a wagon maker and gradually became involved in local public affairs. He held several political offices in Bloomingburg, reflecting both his prominence in the community and his growing interest in public service. Among these local roles, he served as a Justice of the Peace, a position that entrusted him with responsibilities in minor judicial matters and local administration, and helped build his reputation as a community leader.

Bodle’s most significant local office prior to entering national politics was his service as Town Supervisor of Mamakating, New York. He held this position from 1827 to 1833, overseeing town governance during a period of local development and political realignment. As town supervisor, he would have been responsible for managing town finances, supervising local infrastructure, and representing Mamakating in county affairs, experience that prepared him for higher office and connected him to broader political networks within New York.

Elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress, Bodle won a seat as the Representative of New York’s 7th District. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1835. His tenure coincided with the administration of President Andrew Jackson, a time marked by intense national debates over issues such as the Bank of the United States, federal power, and economic policy. As a member of the Jackson Party representing New York, Charles Bodle contributed to the legislative process during his one term in office, participating in the democratic process and advocating for the interests of his district within the broader Jacksonian coalition.

In his personal life, Bodle was married to Esther Wood Bodle (1787–1848). The couple had several children, including William W. Bodle, born in 1817, Vashti Bodle (1821–1864), and Catharine Sarah Bodle (1824–1833). The early death of their daughter Catharine Sarah in 1833 occurred during the same year that Bodle entered Congress, marking a period of both public responsibility and private loss for the family.

Charles Bodle died in Bloomingburg, New York, on October 30, 1835, only a short time after the conclusion of his congressional service. He was interred at Bloomingburg Cemetery in Bloomingburg. His career, though relatively brief at the national level, reflected the path of a locally rooted craftsman and community leader who rose to serve in the United States Congress during a formative era in New York and American political history.