Charles McVean

Charles McVean (1802 – December 22, 1848) was an American lawyer, newspaperman, and public official who served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1833 to 1835. Born near Johnstown, New York, in 1802, he pursued an academic course in his youth before turning to the study of law. After completing his legal training, he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Johnstown, establishing himself as a member of the legal profession in upstate New York.

In addition to his legal work, McVean became active in journalism. He served as editor of a newspaper in Canajoharie, New York, from 1827 to 1831, a role that placed him at the center of local political and civic discourse. His experience as a newspaperman complemented his legal practice and helped build his public profile in the region during a period of expanding democratic participation and intense party organization in New York State.

McVean entered national politics as a supporter of President Andrew Jackson. As a member of the Jackson Party, or Jacksonian, he was elected to the Twenty-third Congress as a Representative from New York, serving from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1835. During his single term in the U.S. House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process at a time of significant political conflict over issues such as federal power, banking policy, and internal improvements. Representing the interests of his New York constituents, he participated in the democratic process during a formative era in American party politics. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1834 and thus concluded his congressional service at the end of his term.

After leaving Congress, McVean returned to legal and public service in New York. He served as district attorney of Montgomery County from 1836 to 1839, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state and further solidifying his reputation as a capable lawyer and public servant. In 1839 he moved to New York City, where he resumed the practice of law in the rapidly growing commercial center of the state.

McVean’s career advanced further in New York City through a series of important judicial and federal appointments. On January 24, 1844, he was appointed surrogate of New York County, an office in which he oversaw probate matters and the administration of estates. He held this position until 1848, when he was elevated to a prominent federal role. On September 1, 1848, he was appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the most significant federal prosecutorial posts in the country, reflecting the confidence placed in his legal abilities and public integrity.

Charles McVean died in New York City on December 22, 1848, only a few months after assuming the office of United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was interred in St. Andrew’s Cemetery. His career spanned law, journalism, local prosecution, judicial administration, and national legislative and federal service, marking him as a notable Jacksonian-era figure in New York’s legal and political history.