Joab Lawler

Joab Lawler (June 12, 1796 – May 8, 1838) was a United States Representative from Alabama who also served in the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Senate. He was born in Union County, North Carolina, on June 12, 1796. During his youth he moved with his father to Tennessee, and in 1815 the family relocated again to the Mississippi Territory, reflecting the broader westward migration of the period. He attended public schools and, from an early age, pursued religious studies.

Lawler studied theology and was licensed to preach, preparing for a career in the ministry at a time when religious life played a central role in frontier communities. In 1820 he moved to Mardisville, Alabama, then a developing settlement in what would become Talladega County. There he actively pursued his ministerial duties, serving the spiritual needs of a growing population and establishing himself as a respected local figure.

Lawler soon entered public service in the new state of Alabama. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives, where he served from 1826 to 1831. In this role he participated in the legislative work of a young state grappling with issues of land, infrastructure, and governance on the expanding frontier. Following his service in the lower house, he was elected to the Alabama Senate, serving in 1831 and 1832. His tenure in both chambers of the state legislature marked him as an experienced lawmaker and helped build the political base that would later support his election to Congress.

In addition to his legislative responsibilities, Lawler held important administrative and financial posts. He was appointed Receiver of Public Moneys for the Coosa land district, serving from 1832 to 1835, a position that placed him at the center of federal land sales and revenue collection in a rapidly developing region. Concurrently, he served as treasurer of the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa from 1833 to 1836, overseeing financial matters for the young institution and contributing to the establishment of higher education in the state.

Lawler advanced to national office in the mid-1830s. He was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress, reflecting his initial alignment with the political movement associated with President Andrew Jackson. He was subsequently re-elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth Congress, indicating a shift in his party affiliation amid the evolving national party system. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1835, until his death, representing Alabama during a period marked by debates over economic policy, federal power, and westward expansion.

Joab Lawler died in office in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 1838, while still serving in the Twenty-fifth Congress. His death placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died while in service during the nineteenth century. He was interred in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., a burial ground that holds the remains of many early national legislators and public officials.