Return J. Meigs II, U.S. Senator & Postmaster General

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_J._Meigs,_Jr.

Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. (also known as Return J. Meigs, Jr.) (pronunciation: "Megz" - rhymes with "eggs") (November 17, 1764–March 29, 1825) was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 4th Governor of Ohio and 8th Postmaster General.

Meigs was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Return J. Meigs, Sr. and the descendant of early Puritan settlers in Massachusetts. He graduated from Yale College in 1785. After passing the bar in Connecticut, he moved to Marietta, Ohio three years later. He was appointed the first Chief Justice of the Ohio State Supreme Court in 1803. He served in that position for a year before serving as a judge in the Louisiana Territory and Michigan Territory. He returned to Ohio in 1807 to run for governor. He won the election, but was declared ineligible for failing to meet the residency requirements. He then was appointed to the U.S. Senate to finish the term of John Smith and was re-elected to his own term a year later. He resigned in late 1810 after winning the governorship. He served two two-year terms, resigning in April 1814 when appointed Postmaster General by President Madison. He served until resigning in 1823 due to ill health.

Return J. Meigs, a junior, was disappointed not to have a male heir. A younger brother, Thomas, named one of his sons Return J. Meigs III. This son passed the bar in Frankfort, Kentucky but commenced law practice in Athens, Tennessee and became prominent in state affairs. Among those men who read law under his tutelage was William Parish Chilton.

Meigs County, Ohio is named in his honor. (Meigs County, Tennessee is named for his father.)

Political offices

Preceded by

Samuel H. Huntington Governor of Ohio

1810 – 1814 Succeeded by

Othneil Looker

Preceded by

Gideon Granger United States Postmaster General

1814 – 1823 Succeeded by

John McLean

United States Senate

Preceded by

John Smith Senator from Ohio (Class 1)

1808 – 1810

Served alongside: Edward Tiffin, Stanley Griswold,

Alexander Campbell Succeeded by

Thomas Worthington

Legal offices

New title Chief Judge of the Ohio Supreme Court

1803 – 1804 Vacant

Title next held by

Hugh L. Nichols

as Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court