Representative Percy Hamilton Stewart

Percy Hamilton Stewart (January 10, 1867, Newark, New Jersey – June 30, 1951, Plainfield, New Jersey) was a Democratic Party politician and attorney who represented New Jersey’s 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1931 to 1933. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, at the outset of the Great Depression, when he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his New Jersey constituents.

Stewart was born in Newark, New Jersey, on January 10, 1867, and attended the public schools there. He pursued higher education at Yale College, from which he graduated in 1890. While at Yale, he was a member of the secret society Skull and Bones. He continued his studies at Columbia Law School, graduating in 1893. That same year he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in New York City, beginning a legal career that would underpin his later public service.

After establishing himself professionally, Stewart became active in local and state politics in New Jersey. He moved to Plainfield, New Jersey, where he served as mayor from 1912 to 1913, gaining executive experience in municipal government. In 1914 he was chairman of the Union County Democratic Committee, reflecting his growing influence within the Democratic Party at the county level. He also developed an interest in public lands and recreation, serving as chairman of the Washington Rock Park Commission of New Jersey from 1915 to 1921.

Stewart’s public service extended into statewide educational and infrastructure policy. He was a member of the New Jersey State Board of Education from 1919 to 1921, participating in oversight and development of the state’s public education system. He then served on the New Jersey State Highway Commission from 1923 to 1929, a period marked by the expansion and modernization of roadways to accommodate increasing automobile use. His prominence in party affairs was further demonstrated by his role as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1920 and 1928.

Stewart was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-second Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Ernest R. Ackerman. He served in the United States House of Representatives from December 1, 1931, to March 3, 1933, representing New Jersey’s 5th congressional district. During this single term in office, he contributed to the legislative process at a time of severe economic crisis, participating in the democratic process on behalf of his constituents. He was not a candidate for renomination to the House in 1932, instead seeking higher office as a candidate for the United States Senate; he was unsuccessful in that bid.

Following his congressional service, Stewart resumed the practice of law. He continued in legal practice until his retirement in 1941, remaining a respected figure in his community and in state Democratic circles. Percy Hamilton Stewart died in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 30, 1951. He was interred in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, closing a long career that combined law, local and state governance, and national legislative service.