Jesse Lazear

Jesse Lazear (December 12, 1804 – September 2, 1877) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served two terms in Congress during a pivotal period in American history. He was born in Richhill Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Lazear, Esq., and Elizabeth (Braddock) Lazear. Raised in a rural part of southwestern Pennsylvania, he received only a limited formal education, a common circumstance in the early nineteenth century, but he compensated for this by pursuing self-improvement and early responsibilities in his community.

Despite his modest schooling, Lazear became a schoolteacher in his youth, reflecting both his own educational aspirations and the needs of his community. He subsequently engaged in mercantile pursuits, entering the world of business and local commerce in Greene County. His growing reputation for reliability and competence led to his appointment as Recorder of Deeds for Greene County, a position he held from 1829 to 1832. In this role he was responsible for maintaining public records related to property transactions, an important function in a developing county.

Lazear’s career advanced further into the financial sector when he became cashier of the Farmers & Drovers’ Bank in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, in 1835. He held this position for more than three decades, serving from 1835 to 1867. As cashier, he was effectively the chief operating officer of the bank, overseeing its day-to-day financial operations and contributing to the economic life of Waynesburg and the surrounding region. His long tenure in this post underscored both his financial acumen and the trust he enjoyed among local business and civic leaders.

Building on his local prominence, Lazear entered national politics as a member of the Democratic Party representing Pennsylvania. He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1861, to March 3, 1865. His service in Congress coincided with the American Civil War, a significant and tumultuous period in the nation’s history. During his first term, he served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings in the Thirty-seventh Congress, where he was involved in overseeing federal spending related to public construction and facilities. Throughout his two terms, he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents at a time of national crisis. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1864, thereby concluding his congressional career after four years of service.

After leaving Congress, Lazear remained active in public and political affairs. In 1866 he served as a delegate to the Union National Convention held in Philadelphia, a gathering that sought to support President Andrew Johnson’s approach to Reconstruction and to promote national unity in the aftermath of the Civil War. The following year, in 1867, he retired from his long-held banking position and withdrew from active business life in Pennsylvania, choosing instead to relocate to Maryland.

Lazear settled at his country home, known as “Windsor Mill Farm,” in Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland, where he pursued a more private life while still engaging in selected business endeavors. From 1871 to 1874 he served as president of the Baltimore & Powhatan Railroad Company, extending his longstanding involvement in finance and infrastructure into the rapidly expanding railroad industry. This position reflected both his managerial experience and his interest in transportation and economic development during the postwar period.

Jesse Lazear died at his country home, Windsor Mill Farm, in Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland, on September 2, 1877. He was interred in Green Mount Cemetery in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, returning in death to the community where he had spent much of his life and built his early career.