Representative James Lent

James Lent (1782 – February 22, 1833) was an American politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1829 to 1833. A member of the Jackson Party, also known as a Jacksonian, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in early nineteenth-century American history, representing the interests of his New York constituents in the United States Congress.

Lent was born in 1782 in Newtown, New York, a community that later became part of the Borough of Queens in New York City. Little is recorded about his early childhood and family background, but he came of age in the post-Revolutionary era as New York was rapidly developing into a major commercial and political center. His early life in Newtown placed him in proximity to the expanding economic and civic life of New York City, which would shape his professional pursuits.

As a young man, Lent engaged in mercantile pursuits in New York City. His work in commerce reflected the broader growth of trade and business in the city during the early 1800s and likely provided him with experience in finance, contracts, and local affairs. This mercantile background helped establish his standing in the community and laid the groundwork for his later public service, giving him familiarity with the economic concerns of both urban and surrounding areas of Queens County.

Lent entered public life as a local judicial officer. He served as judge of Queens County, New York, beginning on February 5, 1823. In this capacity he would have overseen civil and criminal matters within the county, contributing to the administration of justice at the local level. He held this judicial position until March 4, 1829, a tenure that coincided with a period of political realignment in New York and the nation, as supporters of Andrew Jackson were consolidating into what became known as the Jacksonian movement.

Transitioning from judicial service to national office, Lent was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses. He represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1829, until his death on February 22, 1833. As a member of the Jackson Party representing New York, he contributed to the legislative process during two terms in office, participating in debates and votes at a time marked by controversies over federal power, economic policy, and democratic participation. During the Twenty-second Congress he served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State, overseeing and reviewing spending related to the State Department and thereby playing a role in the broader effort to monitor and control federal expenditures.

Lent’s congressional service took place during a significant period in American history, encompassing the early years of Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the rise of a more populist style of politics, and ongoing disputes over internal improvements, tariffs, and the national bank. Within this context, Lent’s role as a Jacksonian representative from New York placed him among those legislators who supported the administration’s general policy direction while representing the specific interests and concerns of his constituents in New York.

James Lent died in office in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 1833, shortly before the close of the Twenty-second Congress. He was originally interred in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, reflecting the customary practice of burying members of Congress who died while in service near the Capitol. His remains were later reinterred in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Newtown, Long Island, New York, returning him to the community where he had been born and where his public and private life had begun.