United States Representative Directory

John Wilson

John Wilson served as a representative for Massachusetts (1813-1819).

  • Federalist
  • Massachusetts
  • District 17
  • Former
Portrait of John WilsonMassachusetts
Role Representative

Current assignment referenced in the congressional directory.

State Massachusetts

Representing constituents across the Massachusetts delegation.

District District 17

District insights and legislative focus areas.

Service period 1813-1819

Years of public service formally recorded.

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Biography

John Wilson was a member of the Federalist Party who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives, serving two terms in Congress. As a Federalist congressman from Massachusetts, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in early American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents at the national level.

Wilson’s service in Congress occurred during the era when the Federalist Party, one of the first political parties in the United States, was a leading force in shaping the new republic’s financial, diplomatic, and constitutional foundations. As a Federalist representative, he would have aligned with the party’s general support for a strong national government, a robust commercial economy, and close relations with Great Britain, positions that were particularly influential among many political leaders in New England, including Massachusetts.

During his two terms in office, John Wilson took part in the deliberations of the House of Representatives at a time when the young nation was still defining the scope of federal authority, the balance between agrarian and commercial interests, and the contours of its foreign policy. In representing Massachusetts, he stood for a state whose maritime trade, shipbuilding, and commercial networks were central to the Federalist vision of national development. His role in Congress thus placed him among those legislators who helped shape the early legislative framework of the United States.

Although specific details of Wilson’s early life, education, and professional career outside Congress are not preserved in the surviving record, his election as a Federalist from Massachusetts indicates that he was part of the political and civic leadership of his state during the formative decades of the republic. His congressional service, spanning two terms, situates him within the broader cohort of early nineteenth‑century Federalist officeholders who participated in establishing precedents for federal legislation, representation, and governance in the United States.

Congressional Record

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