Representative George H. Proffit

George H. Proffit (September 4, 1807 – September 7, 1847) was an American lawyer, legislator, diplomat, and member of the Whig Party who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1839 to 1843. His congressional service took place during a significant period in American political history, as the nation grappled with issues of economic policy, territorial expansion, and the evolving balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.

Proffit was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 4, 1807. Little is recorded about his family background, but he completed preparatory studies in his youth, laying the foundation for his later professional and political career. Seeking opportunity on the expanding western frontier, he moved to Indiana in the late 1820s, joining the flow of migrants into the Old Northwest as the region developed economically and politically.

In 1828 Proffit settled in Petersburg, Indiana, in Pike County. There he engaged in mercantile pursuits, building experience in commerce and local affairs. He also conducted business in nearby Portersville, Indiana, further establishing himself in the community. While involved in trade, he studied law, reflecting a common pathway of the era in which aspiring attorneys combined self-directed legal study with practical work. After completing his legal training, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Petersburg, where he quickly became a figure of local prominence.

Proffit entered public life through service in the Indiana House of Representatives. He served as a member of the state legislature in 1831 and 1832, and then again from 1836 to 1838. These nonconsecutive terms in the Indiana House coincided with a period of internal improvements, banking debates, and party realignment in the state, and they provided him with legislative experience and a platform within the emerging Whig Party. His work in the state legislature helped establish his reputation as a capable advocate for his constituents and prepared him for national office.

In 1838 Proffit was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-sixth Congress, and he was subsequently reelected to the Twenty-seventh Congress, serving from March 4, 1839, to March 3, 1843, as a U.S. Representative from Indiana. During his two terms in the House of Representatives, he participated in the legislative process at a time marked by the presidencies of Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler, and by intense debates over economic recovery after the Panic of 1837, the role of a national bank, and federal support for internal improvements. As a Whig representing Indiana, Proffit contributed to the formulation of party positions and represented the interests of his constituents in these national controversies. He chose not to be a candidate for renomination in 1842, bringing his congressional career to a close after four years of service.

Following his departure from Congress, Proffit was appointed by President John Tyler as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Empire of Brazil. He entered upon his diplomatic duties on June 7, 1843, reflecting both his standing within the Whig Party and the administration’s desire to maintain and strengthen relations with Brazil, an important partner in trade and hemispheric affairs. His service in Rio de Janeiro continued until August 10, 1844, when he returned to the United States after the Senate refused to confirm his appointment. The Senate’s refusal underscored the broader tensions between President Tyler and many members of Congress, particularly Whigs, over questions of executive authority and party loyalty.

After his return from Brazil, Proffit did not again hold national office. He appears to have resumed private life, likely returning to legal and business pursuits in Indiana while maintaining the connections he had formed over a decade of public service. His later years were brief, as his health declined in the mid-1840s. George H. Proffit died in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 7, 1847, three days after his fortieth birthday. His remains were returned to Indiana, and he was interred in Walnut Hill Cemetery in Petersburg, Indiana, the community where he had established his professional career and from which he had risen to state, national, and diplomatic prominence.