Rees Hill
Encyclopedia
Rees Hill was a U.S. army colonel in the War of 1812
, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from Greene County
, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and later a Pennsylvania State Senator.
. On July 30, 1813, his detachment received orders to join the northwestern army. He was commended by then-general (and future president) William Henry Harrison
in a letter to President James Madison
.
Rees Hill (along with Thomas Sargeant of Harrisburg
, Cromwell Pearce
of Chester County
, and Samuel McKean
of Bradford County
) was appointed as an aide de camp to the commander in chief of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
approved an act to reimburse Hill for money he had spent for expenses of his troops during the War of 1812.
Hill was Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in two non-consecutive years (1816 and 1819). His first election as speaker took place on December 5, 1815. He was elected as speaker a second time on December 10, 1816. On December 1, 1818, he again won election as speaker with 74 votes (other votes were: John Purdon – 9, Samuel Bond – 1, Phineas Jenks
– 1, and William N. Irvine – 1). On December 7, 1819 (for the session beginning in December, 1819 and lasting through most of 1820), he came in third in a vote for speaker with 14 of the 93 votes cast. (The speaker elected was Joseph Lawrence
with 56 votes. Other votes were: Phineas Jenks
– 21, Wilson Smith – 1, and William Lehman – 1).
He served as chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means in the Pennsylvania House in 1820 and was elected a Pennsylvania State Senator in November, 1820. Service in the Pennsylvania State Senate
for the 20th district, began on December 6, 1820. He was elected as a Pennsylvania State Senator again two years later.
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
from Greene County
Greene County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and later a Pennsylvania State Senator.
Military service
As a colonel in the U.S. army during the War of 1812, he was stationed at Erie, PennsylvaniaErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. On July 30, 1813, his detachment received orders to join the northwestern army. He was commended by then-general (and future president) William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
in a letter to President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
.
Rees Hill (along with Thomas Sargeant of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, Cromwell Pearce
Cromwell Pearce
Cromwell Pearce was a colonel in the U.S. army during the War of 1812, served as sheriff of Chester County, and later as an associate judge in the county. He lived in West Chester.-Early life:...
of Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
, and Samuel McKean
Samuel McKean
Samuel McKean was an American merchant and politician from Burlington, Pennsylvania. He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1815 to 1819. He was in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1829 to 1830....
of Bradford County
Bradford County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
) was appointed as an aide de camp to the commander in chief of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
After Military Service
On March 3, 1819, Congress and President James MonroeJames Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
approved an act to reimburse Hill for money he had spent for expenses of his troops during the War of 1812.
Political career
Hill was a member of the Democratic Republican party.Hill was Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in two non-consecutive years (1816 and 1819). His first election as speaker took place on December 5, 1815. He was elected as speaker a second time on December 10, 1816. On December 1, 1818, he again won election as speaker with 74 votes (other votes were: John Purdon – 9, Samuel Bond – 1, Phineas Jenks
Phineas Jenks
Phineas Jenks was a medical doctor and a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He lived in Newtown. He married Amelia Snyder , daughter of Pennsylvania Governor Simon Snyder, in 1820, in Harrisburg.-Medical Doctor:Jenks studied medicine with Dr...
– 1, and William N. Irvine – 1). On December 7, 1819 (for the session beginning in December, 1819 and lasting through most of 1820), he came in third in a vote for speaker with 14 of the 93 votes cast. (The speaker elected was Joseph Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence (Pennsylvania)
Joseph Lawrence was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:Joseph Lawrence was born near Hunterstown, Pennsylvania. He moved with his widowed mother to a farm in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1789, and attended the common schools...
with 56 votes. Other votes were: Phineas Jenks
Phineas Jenks
Phineas Jenks was a medical doctor and a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He lived in Newtown. He married Amelia Snyder , daughter of Pennsylvania Governor Simon Snyder, in 1820, in Harrisburg.-Medical Doctor:Jenks studied medicine with Dr...
– 21, Wilson Smith – 1, and William Lehman – 1).
He served as chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means in the Pennsylvania House in 1820 and was elected a Pennsylvania State Senator in November, 1820. Service in the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
for the 20th district, began on December 6, 1820. He was elected as a Pennsylvania State Senator again two years later.