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John Hathorn (January
9, 1749 – February 19, 1825) was an American politician who was a member of
the United States House of Representatives from New York.
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John Hathorn was born in Wilmington,
Delaware, January 9, 1749. He completed preparatory studies and became a surveyor
and a school teacher. He moved to Warwick, NY, then a part of the Precinct of
Goshen and married Elizabeth Welling. He was a captain of the Colonial
Militia, and became a colonel of the Fourth Orange County (N.Y.) Regiment February
7, 1776, and served throughout the Revolutionary War. On September 26, 1786,
Hathorn became a brigadier general of the Orange County Militia, and on October
8, 1793 a major general of state militia. He served on the committe appointed
to determine an effective location for the Great Chain across the Hudson
which prevented the British from advancing up the River, and himself wrote
the report. He was one of the commanders of the Battle of Minisink.
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Hathorn was a member of the
State assembly in 1778, 1780, 1782 – 1785, 1795, and 1805, and served as speaker
in 1783 and 1784. Hathorn served terms in the State senate 1786 – 1790 and
1799 – 1803 and was a member of the Council of Appointment in 1787 and 1789.
He was elected to the Continental Congress in December 1788 but no further
sessions were held. He was elected to the First Congress (March 4, 1789 – March
3, 1791), an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1790 to the Second
Congress and in 1792 to the Third Congress. He was elected as a Republican to
the Fourth Congress (March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797). He was an unsuccessful
candidate for reelection in 1796. Hathorn engaged in mercantile pursuits
until the time of his death.
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Hathorn died in Warwick, New
York February 19, 1825 and is now buried in Warwick Cemetery. His stone home
still stands on Hathorn Rd., with his and his wife's initials worked in red
brick on the south gable of the house.
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In World War II the United
States liberty ship SS John Hathorn was named in his honor.
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