James Linn

Who was James Linn?

James Linn was a United States Representative from New Jersey. Born in Bedminster Township, he pursued preparatory studies and graduated from Princeton College in 1769. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1772 and commenced practice in Trenton. He returned to Somerset County and was judge of the Court of Common Pleas; he was a member of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1776. During the Revolutionary War he served as captain in the Somerset County Militia in 1776, and first major from 1776 to 1781. He was a member of the New Jersey Legislative Council in 1777, and returned to Trenton; he served in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1790 and 1791, and from 1793 to 1797 was again a member of the State Council serving as Vice-President of Council in 1796-97.

Linn was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Sixth Congress, serving from March 4, 1799 to March 3, 1801; he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800 to the Seventh Congress. He was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson to be supervisor of the revenue and served from 1801 to 1809, and from 1809 to 1820 he served as Secretary of State of New Jersey.