Hiram Belcher

Hiram Belcher (February 23, 1790 – May 6, 1857) was a United States Representative from Maine and a prominent lawyer and local official in the early years of the state. He was born in Hallowell, then a part of Massachusetts (now in Maine), on February 23, 1790. He was the son of Supply Belcher, a noted early American composer, singing master, and civic leader, whose public and cultural activities helped shape the environment in which Hiram was raised. Growing up in what was then a frontier region of New England, Belcher attended the rural schools and the local academy in Hallowell, receiving the basic classical and practical education typical of aspiring professionals of his generation.

After completing his preparatory studies, Belcher pursued the study of law. He read law in the customary manner of the period, under the guidance of established practitioners, and was admitted to the bar in 1812. That same year he commenced the practice of law in Farmington, in what would later become Franklin County, Maine. Farmington was then a growing inland community, and Belcher quickly established himself as a practicing attorney, serving the legal needs of local residents and landowners as the region developed in the years surrounding the War of 1812 and the subsequent economic expansion.

Belcher soon became active in local government and civic affairs. He was elected town clerk of Farmington and served in that capacity from 1814 to 1819, a role that placed him at the center of municipal record-keeping, elections, and town administration during a formative period for the community. His work as town clerk complemented his legal practice and helped build his reputation as a careful and reliable public official. Through these responsibilities, he became well known in local political circles and laid the groundwork for a broader political career.

With the separation of Maine from Massachusetts and its admission to the Union in 1820, Belcher’s public service shifted to the new state’s institutions. He was elected a member of the Maine House of Representatives in 1822, and later returned to that body in 1829 and 1832. His repeated elections reflected the confidence of his constituents and his growing influence in state politics. In addition to his service in the lower house, Belcher also served in the Maine State Senate, participating in the legislative work of the new state during its early decades. Throughout these years he continued his legal practice in Farmington, balancing professional and legislative duties.

Belcher’s state-level experience and affiliation with the Whig Party eventually led to his election to national office. He was elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth Congress and served as a United States Representative from Maine from March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1849. During his single term in Congress, he was appointed chairman of the Committee on Mileage, which was responsible for determining and overseeing the compensation for members’ travel to and from the seat of government. His service coincided with a period of significant national debate over territorial expansion and the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, although he did not seek to extend his congressional career beyond this term.

After declining to be a candidate for reelection to the Thirty-first Congress, Belcher returned to Maine and re-engaged fully in the practice of law in Farmington. He remained a respected figure in the community, known both for his long record of public service and his professional work at the bar. He continued in active practice until his death in Farmington on May 6, 1857. Hiram Belcher was interred in Center Meeting House Cemetery, leaving a legacy as a lawyer, local official, state legislator, and one-term member of Congress who participated in the political life of Maine from its early statehood through the mid-nineteenth century.