Representative Lewis Alexander Brigham

Lewis Alexander Brigham (January 2, 1831 – February 19, 1885) was an American Republican Party politician and attorney who represented New Jersey’s 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1879 to 1881. His single term in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, as the nation continued to adjust to the political, social, and economic changes of the post–Civil War era, and he participated in the democratic process as a representative of a rapidly developing region of New Jersey.

Brigham was born in New York Mills, Oneida County, New York, on January 2, 1831. He was educated in the local district schools and continued his studies at Whitestown Seminary in Whitesboro, New York, an institution known in the mid-nineteenth century for preparing students for collegiate and professional training. Demonstrating early academic promise, he enrolled at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, from which he graduated in 1849, entering adulthood at a time of growing national debate over slavery, expansion, and economic development.

After completing his collegiate education, Brigham pursued legal studies and prepared for admission to the bar. He was admitted to the bar in 1855 and commenced the practice of law in New York City. His early legal career unfolded in one of the nation’s principal commercial and financial centers, exposing him to the legal and business issues of a rapidly industrializing economy. This background in law and urban affairs would later inform his public service in neighboring New Jersey, where he became increasingly involved in educational and municipal matters.

By the mid-1860s, Brigham had established his residence and professional base in New Jersey, where he began to assume important local and county responsibilities. From 1866 to 1870, he served as superintendent of public schools in Bergen County, New Jersey. In that role he was responsible for overseeing the administration and improvement of the county’s public education system during a period of growth and reform in American public schooling. His work in education helped to build his reputation as a capable administrator and public servant within the region.

Brigham’s public career expanded beyond education into municipal governance and state politics. He was a member of the board of police commissioners of Jersey City, New Jersey, from 1874 to 1876, participating in the oversight and regulation of the city’s police force at a time when urban law enforcement institutions were becoming more formalized and professional. In 1877 he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, where he gained legislative experience and further solidified his standing within the Republican Party. These positions provided him with a platform to engage in issues of local administration, public order, and state policy, and served as a stepping stone to national office.

In 1878, Brigham was elected as a Republican to the Forty-sixth Congress, representing New Jersey’s 7th congressional district. He served in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1879, to March 4, 1881. As a member of the Republican Party representing New Jersey, he contributed to the legislative process during his one term in office, representing the interests of his constituents during a period marked by debates over federal spending, civil service reform, and the lingering effects of Reconstruction. Although he sought to continue his service in Washington, he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-eighth Congress, bringing his brief but notable congressional career to a close.

Following his departure from Congress, Brigham resumed the practice of law in New York City, returning to the profession in which he had first established himself three decades earlier. He continued to reside in the New Jersey–New York metropolitan area, maintaining his ties to the communities in which he had long been active. Lewis Alexander Brigham died in Jersey City, New Jersey, on February 19, 1885. He was interred in Old Bergen Church Cemetery, a historic burial ground in Jersey City, reflecting his long association with that community and with the public life of New Jersey.