John U. Pettit

John U. Pettit
43rd Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives
In office November 9, 1864 – November 7, 1866
Preceded by	Samuel H. Buskirk
Succeeded by	David C. Branham
Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the ? district
In office November 9, 1864 – November 7, 1866
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 11th district
In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1861
Preceded by	Andrew J. Harlan
Succeeded by	John P. C. Shanks
Personal details
Born	(1820-09-11)September 11, 1820 Fabius, New York, U.S.
Died	March 21, 1881(1881-03-21) (aged 60) Wabash, Indiana, U.S
Political party	Republican (March 4, 1857–1881)
Other political affiliations	Indiana People's Party (1854–March 3, 1857)

John Upfold Pettit (September 11, 1820 – March 21, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1855 to 1861.

Biography[edit]

Born in Fabius, New York, Pettit attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and was graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1839. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1841 and commenced practice in Wabash, Indiana. Pettit served as American consul to Maranham, Brazil, from 1850 to 1853.

Congress[edit]

Pettit was elected as an Indiana People's Party candidate to the Thirty-fourth Congress and reelected as a Republican to the Thirty-fifth, and Thirty-sixth Congresses (March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1861). He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Thirty-fourth Congress).

Later career and death[edit]

He served as a member of the state house of representatives in 1865 and was elected speaker. Later, Pettit served as judge of the twenty-seventh judicial district of Indiana (1872–1880).

He died in Wabash, Indiana, March 21, 1881, and was interred in Falls Cemetery.

References[edit]

• United States Congress. "John U. Pettit (id: P000278)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links[edit]

• Works by or about John U. Pettit at Internet Archive