Representative John Farson Starr

John Farson Starr (March 25, 1818 – August 9, 1904) was an American businessman and Republican Party politician who served two terms in the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey’s 1st congressional district from 1863 to 1867. During his tenure in Congress, he participated actively in the legislative process at a critical moment in American history, representing the interests of his constituents during the Civil War and early Reconstruction.

Starr was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 1818. He completed his preparatory studies in his native city, receiving the education typical of a young man preparing for commercial and professional life in the early nineteenth century. In 1844 he moved to Camden, New Jersey, a growing industrial and commercial center across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, where he would establish his business career and political base.

After settling in Camden, Starr became a prominent figure in local business circles. He was one of the founders of the Camden Iron Works, an important industrial enterprise in the region, and he engaged broadly in mercantile pursuits. His success in commerce and industry led to a leading role in local finance. He became president of the First National Bank of Camden, a position he held for more than thirty years, continuing in that office up to the time of his death. Through these activities, Starr played a significant role in the economic development of Camden in the mid- to late nineteenth century.

Starr’s prominence in business and civic affairs helped propel him into political life as a member of the Republican Party. He was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Congresses, serving in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1863, to March 3, 1867. As a member of the House of Representatives during the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction, John Farson Starr contributed to the legislative process over two terms in office. He participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New Jersey constituents at a time when Congress was addressing issues of war policy, national unity, and the initial framework for postwar reconstruction. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1866 and concluded his congressional service at the end of his second term.

Following his departure from Congress, Starr returned to his business and banking interests in Camden. He continued to serve as president of the First National Bank of Camden, maintaining a position of influence in the city’s financial and commercial life for decades. His long tenure in banking, combined with his earlier industrial ventures, made him one of the enduring figures in Camden’s nineteenth-century economic history.

John Farson Starr died in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on August 9, 1904. He was interred in Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey. His life spanned from the early national period through the industrial expansion of the late nineteenth century, and his career combined significant roles in business, banking, and public service as a Republican representative from New Jersey in the United States Congress from 1863 to 1867.