Representative Harmanus Peek

Harmanus Peek (June 24, 1782, Albany, New York – September 27, 1838, Schenectady, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York who served one term in the United States House of Representatives. Born in Albany during the early years of the new republic, he came of age in a period of rapid political and institutional development in New York State. His later life and career were closely associated with Schenectady, where he would establish his legal practice and build his public reputation.

Peek pursued higher education at Union College in Schenectady, an institution that was emerging as a prominent center of learning in upstate New York. He graduated from Union College in 1804. Following his graduation, he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced the practice of law in Schenectady. His legal training and early professional work in the city laid the foundation for a long career in local and state public service.

Alongside his legal practice, Peek quickly became involved in municipal affairs. He served as Schenectady’s City Clerk from 1808 to 1818, a decade-long tenure that placed him at the administrative center of city government during a formative period for the community. He was also active in county government, serving as a member of the Schenectady County Board of Supervisors in 1810, from 1813 to 1818, from 1822 to 1826, and again from 1829 to 1832. Through these roles he participated in overseeing local governance, finance, and infrastructure at both the city and county levels.

Peek’s experience in local government led to service in the New York State Legislature. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, he served in the New York State Assembly from 1816 to 1817. In this capacity he took part in state-level lawmaking at a time when New York was expanding economically and politically, and when the Democratic-Republican Party dominated state and national politics. His legislative work in Albany helped elevate his profile and prepared him for national office.

As a member of the Republican Party representing New York—a designation that in his era referred to the Democratic-Republican Party—Harmanus Peek contributed to the legislative process during one term in office in the United States Congress. In 1818 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served a single term from 1819 to 1821. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, often associated with the “Era of Good Feelings,” when questions of national expansion, economic policy, and federal administration were prominent. During his term Peek was Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State, where he was responsible for overseeing and reviewing the spending and fiscal practices of that department. He participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New York constituents in the national legislature. He did not run for reelection at the conclusion of his term and returned to Schenectady to resume the practice of law.

After leaving Congress, Peek continued to play a significant role in Schenectady’s civic life. In 1833 he was elected Schenectady’s first City Recorder, a position equivalent to a deputy mayor, and he served in that office until 1835. In this capacity he combined legal and executive responsibilities, reflecting both his professional background as an attorney and his long experience in public administration. His selection as the city’s first holder of this office underscored the esteem in which he was held by the local community.

Harmanus Peek died in Schenectady, New York, on September 27, 1838. He was originally buried in the Dutch Church Cemetery in Schenectady, reflecting the city’s early Dutch heritage and his connection to its longstanding institutions. His remains were later re-interred in Vale Cemetery, also in Schenectady, where many of the city’s notable citizens of the nineteenth century are buried. His career, spanning local, state, and national service, marked him as a significant figure in the political and civic life of early nineteenth-century New York.