John Westbrook Hornbeck

John Westbrook Hornbeck (January 24, 1804 – January 16, 1848) was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He served one term in Congress during a significant period in American history, participating in the legislative process and representing the interests of his constituents as a member of the Whig Party.

Hornbeck was born on January 24, 1804, in Montague Township, New Jersey. Little is recorded about his early childhood and family background, but his subsequent academic and professional achievements indicate that he received a solid preparatory education. Seeking higher education at a time when college attendance was relatively rare, he enrolled at Union College in Schenectady, New York, a prominent institution that attracted students from across the northeastern United States.

Hornbeck graduated from Union College in 1827 and thereafter pursued the study of law. He relocated to Pennsylvania, where he was admitted to the bar of Northampton County in 1829. The following year, in 1830, he commenced the practice of law in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His legal career developed in tandem with the growth of Allentown as a regional center of commerce and government, and he quickly became an established member of the local bar.

In 1836 Hornbeck was commissioned deputy attorney general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Lehigh County. In this capacity, he represented the state in legal matters within the county, a role that reflected both his professional competence and his standing in the community. He served in this position for three years, further solidifying his reputation as a capable lawyer and public servant and helping to lay the groundwork for his later political career.

Hornbeck entered national politics as a member of the Whig Party, which at the time was one of the two major political parties in the United States and was associated with support for congressional authority, internal improvements, and economic development. He was elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth Congress, representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. His single term in Congress placed him at the center of national debates during the late 1840s, a period marked by issues such as territorial expansion and the evolving balance between free and slave states.

During his service in the Thirtieth Congress, Hornbeck held a notable leadership position as chairman of the United States House Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the review of pending legislative matters and helping to manage the orderly progression of bills and other business carried over from prior sessions. His work on this committee contributed to the functioning of the House and underscored his engagement with the legislative process.

Hornbeck’s congressional service was cut short by his death in office. He died in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on January 16, 1848, while still serving as a member of the Thirtieth Congress. His passing placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died in office between 1790 and 1899. He was interred in Allentown Cemetery, in the community where he had built his legal career and from which he had risen to national office.