Joseph Biles Anthony

Joseph Biles Anthony (June 19, 1795 – January 10, 1851) was an American lawyer, jurist, and Democratic politician from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms, representing Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district from 1833 to 1837. A Jacksonian Democrat, he participated in the national legislative process during a significant period in American political history, aligning with the policies of Andrew Jackson and representing the interests of his constituents in central Pennsylvania.

Anthony was born on June 19, 1795, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools of the city and later pursued higher education at Princeton College (now Princeton University), reflecting the classical educational path common among early nineteenth-century American professionals. Following his collegiate studies, he read law in the traditional manner of the period, preparing for admission to the bar through apprenticeship and independent study.

After completing his legal training, Anthony was admitted to the bar and entered into the practice of law in Pennsylvania. His professional competence and growing reputation at the bar led him into public life. He was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate, where he represented the 13th district from 1830 to 1833. His service in the state legislature provided him with legislative experience and a platform within the Jacksonian wing of the Democratic Party at a time when issues such as internal improvements, banking, and the balance of state and federal power were vigorously contested.

Building on his state-level experience, Anthony was elected as a Jacksonian Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district in the Twenty-third Congress (March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835) and was reelected to the Twenty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837). During his two terms in Congress, he served as a member of the Jackson Party representing Pennsylvania and contributed to the legislative process in an era marked by debates over the Second Bank of the United States, tariff policy, and the expansion of democratic participation. His tenure coincided with the height of Jacksonian democracy, and he took part in the broader democratic process on behalf of his district’s constituents.

After leaving Congress in 1837, Anthony returned to Pennsylvania and resumed his legal and judicial pursuits. He was appointed a judge of what was known as the “Nichelson court,” a body involved in adjudicating and facilitating the sale and confirmation of titles to large tracts of land in Pennsylvania. In this capacity, he played a role in resolving complex land claims and promoting the orderly transfer and development of property in the state, an important function in a period of ongoing settlement and economic expansion.

Anthony’s judicial career advanced further when he was elected president judge of the eighth judicial district of Pennsylvania in 1844. As president judge, he presided over a broad range of civil and criminal matters, exercising significant influence over the administration of justice in the region. He held this position from 1844 until his death, maintaining an active role on the bench for the remainder of his life.

Joseph Biles Anthony died in office on January 10, 1851, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, while serving as president judge of the eighth judicial district. His career encompassed service at both the state and national levels, including membership in the Pennsylvania State Senate, two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and a substantial period as a judge in Pennsylvania’s judiciary.