Peter Denoyelles

Peter DeNoyelles (1766 – May 6, 1829) was a Representative from New York and a member of the New York State Assembly during the early decades of the United States. Born in Haverstraw, New York, in 1766, he spent his life closely connected to his native community along the Hudson River. Details of his family background and early childhood are not extensively documented, but he completed preparatory studies, indicating a level of formal education sufficient to support both business and public service in the post-Revolutionary era.

After his schooling, DeNoyelles engaged in the manufacture of bricks, a significant local industry in the Hudson River valley. Brickmaking was an important component of the regional economy, supplying materials for construction in New York and beyond, and his involvement in this trade placed him among the enterprising citizens of his community. His success and standing in local business likely contributed to his emergence as a figure in public affairs and laid the groundwork for his subsequent political career.

DeNoyelles entered public life at the state level as a member of the New York State Assembly between 1802 and 1803. During this period he also held several local offices in and around Haverstraw, reflecting the trust placed in him by his neighbors and constituents. His service in the Assembly came at a time when New York was rapidly growing in population and political influence, and his legislative role connected him to broader debates over the development of the young state and nation.

Building on his experience in state and local government, DeNoyelles was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Thirteenth Congress, representing New York’s 3rd congressional district. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1813, to March 3, 1815. As a member of the Republican Party of that era, commonly known as the Democratic-Republican Party, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, which included the War of 1812 and its political aftermath. In this capacity, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New York constituents in the national legislature.

During his tenure in Congress, from May 1813 to March 1815, DeNoyelles missed 101 of 352 roll call votes, a rate of 28.7 percent. This absentee rate was higher than the median of 18.4 percent among the lifetime records of representatives serving in March 1815. Nonetheless, his single term in the House placed him among the early generation of federal lawmakers helping to shape the institutions and policies of the United States during a formative and turbulent period.

After leaving Congress at the conclusion of his term on March 3, 1815, DeNoyelles returned to private life in Haverstraw. He resumed his former manufacturing pursuits in the brickmaking industry, continuing the work that had first established his position in the community. His post-congressional years appear to have been devoted primarily to his business and local affairs rather than further state or national office, reflecting a pattern common among early nineteenth-century citizen-legislators who alternated between public service and private enterprise.

Peter DeNoyelles died in Haverstraw, New York, on May 6, 1829. He was buried in Mount Repose Cemetery, underscoring his lifelong connection to the town in which he was born, worked, and served. His career, encompassing local office, service in the New York State Assembly, and a term in the United States House of Representatives, illustrates the role of regional businessmen in the political life of New York and the nation during the early republic.