Jeremiah McLene

Jeremiah McLene (1767 – March 19, 1837) was a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1833 to 1837, a major general of militia in the American Revolutionary War, the second Ohio Secretary of State from 1808 to 1831, and a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1807 to 1808. A Democrat and Jacksonian, he participated in the early political development of Ohio and in national politics during a formative period in the history of the United States.

McLene was born in 1767 in Cumberland County in the Province of Pennsylvania. He attended the common schools in his youth, receiving the basic education typical of the period. During the American Revolutionary War he entered militia service at a very young age. Over the course of the conflict he advanced through the ranks and, by the close of the war in 1783, he had risen to the rank of major general in the militia, an unusually high distinction for one of his age and background. His early military experience helped establish his reputation for public service on the American frontier.

After the Revolution, McLene moved west and settled in Chillicothe, in what became the state of Ohio. As the territory developed and Ohio entered the Union, he became involved in local and state politics. By 1806 he had been elected to the Ohio House of Representatives as a Democrat, serving as a state representative from 1807 to 1808. His legislative service coincided with the early years of Ohio statehood, when foundational laws and institutions were being established.

In 1808 McLene was chosen as the second Secretary of State of Ohio, an office he would hold for an extended period. Serving eight consecutive terms from 1808 to 1831, he oversaw the maintenance of state records and played a central administrative role as Ohio’s population and political institutions expanded. During his tenure as secretary of state, he moved in 1816 from Chillicothe to Columbus, Ohio, following the relocation of the state capital. His long service in this office reflected the confidence placed in him by Ohio’s political leadership and electorate.

McLene’s prominence in Ohio politics led to his participation in national electoral affairs. In 1832 he served as a presidential elector for Ohio, casting his vote for Andrew Jackson. That same year he was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Ohio’s 8th congressional district. He served two terms in Congress, from March 4, 1833, to March 3, 1837. As a member of the Jackson Party representing Ohio, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents during the Jacksonian era. His service in Congress coincided with major national debates over issues such as banking, federal power, and westward expansion.

McLene sought a third term in the House but was defeated in the 1836 election by Whig candidate Joseph Ridgway, marking the end of his congressional career. After leaving Congress, he planned to return to Columbus, where he had long resided during his years as Ohio’s secretary of state. However, he died in Washington, D.C., on March 19, 1837, at the age of 70, before he could move back to Ohio. Jeremiah McLene was interred in the United States Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., closing a public career that had spanned from the Revolutionary era through the Jacksonian period.