Eliphalet Wickes

Eliphalet Wickes (April 1, 1769 – June 7, 1850) was an American lawyer, local official, and Democratic-Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He was born on April 1, 1769, in Huntington on Long Island in the Province of New York, then a part of Britain’s North American colonies. Growing up in the closing years of the colonial period, he came of age during the American Revolution, a conflict that shaped his early experiences and later public career.

During the American Revolution, while still a youth, Wickes was employed as an express rider. In that capacity he carried messages and dispatches, a role that required speed, reliability, and familiarity with the roads and communities of Long Island at a time of military occupation and political upheaval. This early exposure to public service and communications infrastructure foreshadowed his later, long association with the postal service and local administration.

After the war, Wickes pursued legal studies, preparing for a professional career in the law. He studied law in New York, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Jamaica, Long Island, New York. His legal practice in Jamaica placed him within one of the principal communities of Queens County, where he became involved in local affairs and built the professional standing that would support his subsequent appointments and election to national office.

Wickes’s public career began in earnest with his appointment as the first postmaster of Jamaica, Long Island, New York, on July 1, 1797. As postmaster he was responsible for managing the local post office and overseeing the flow of mail at a time when the postal system was a critical link among the new nation’s communities. He served in this capacity until April 1, 1806. After a brief interruption coinciding with his initial period in Congress, he was reappointed postmaster on January 1, 1807, and continued in that office until April 27, 1835. His nearly four decades of service as postmaster made him a central figure in the civic and commercial life of Jamaica and its surrounding area.

In national politics, Wickes was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Ninth Congress, representing New York in the United States House of Representatives. He served one term, from March 4, 1805, to March 3, 1807. His tenure in Congress occurred during the administration of President Thomas Jefferson, a period marked by debates over foreign policy, trade restrictions, and the scope of federal authority. Although he did not remain in national office beyond this single term, his election reflected the confidence of his constituents in Queens County and his alignment with the dominant Democratic-Republican principles of the era.

Following his congressional service, Wickes continued to play a prominent role in local legal and judicial affairs. He served as District Attorney of Queens County from 1818 to 1821, prosecuting cases on behalf of the state and contributing to the administration of justice in the county. In addition to his prosecutorial duties, he held a judicial appointment as master in chancery, a position within the equity side of the court system that involved overseeing certain proceedings, taking testimony, and making recommendations in matters requiring equitable relief. These roles underscored his standing as an experienced legal practitioner and trusted public official.

In his later years, Wickes remained associated with New York, though he eventually left Long Island. He died in Troy, New York, on June 7, 1850. He was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, a major burial ground for many of the city’s notable residents. His long life spanned from the colonial era through the first half of the nineteenth century, and his career reflected the development of American political and legal institutions at the local and national levels.