Representative Richard Wylly Habersham

Richard Wylly Habersham (December 1786 – December 2, 1842) was an American lawyer and politician from Savannah, Georgia, who became a prominent public figure in his state during the early nineteenth century. Born in Savannah, he was a member of the well-known Habersham family of Georgia, a lineage that had been influential in the region since the colonial era. His early years in Savannah placed him within the social and political circles that shaped Georgia’s legal and political institutions in the decades following the American Revolution.

Habersham pursued a formal education that prepared him for a career in law and public service. He attended Princeton College (now Princeton University) in New Jersey, an institution that drew many young men from the southern states seeking advanced education. He graduated from Princeton in 1810, a period when the college was a leading training ground for future lawyers, clergy, and public officials. Following his graduation, he read law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced the practice of law, establishing himself professionally as an attorney.

Habersham’s legal abilities and standing in Georgia led to his appointment as a federal officer. He was appointed United States Attorney, serving as the chief federal prosecutor for his district. In this capacity, he represented the interests of the United States government in federal legal matters arising in Georgia. He held this position until his resignation in 1825, a tenure that spanned a formative period in the development of federal authority and commercial regulation in the southern states. His work as United States Attorney enhanced his reputation as a capable lawyer and public servant and provided him with extensive experience in federal law and procedure.

Building on his legal and prosecutorial career, Habersham entered elective politics as the national party system was taking shape. Aligning himself with the Whig Party, which opposed the policies of President Andrew Jackson and advocated for a stronger role for Congress and support for internal improvements and economic development, he sought federal office as a representative of Georgia’s interests. Running as a Whig, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Georgia and took his seat in the Twenty-sixth Congress in 1839. He was subsequently reelected, serving through the Twenty-seventh Congress.

As a member of the Whig Party representing Georgia, Richard Wylly Habersham contributed to the legislative process during two terms in office. His service in Congress, from 1839 to 1842, occurred during a significant period in American history marked by debates over banking policy, tariffs, internal improvements, and the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches. During these years, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents in Georgia, working within the Whig program that emphasized congressional prerogatives and economic modernization. He remained in office until his death, making him one of the members of the United States Congress who died in service during the nineteenth century.

Habersham died in office on December 2, 1842, while still serving as a U.S. Representative. His death brought an abrupt end to a career that had combined legal practice, federal prosecutorial service, and national legislative work. He was interred at Old Cemetery in Clarkesville, Georgia, reflecting his family’s and his own ties to the state beyond his native city of Savannah. His burial in Clarkesville placed him among the early nineteenth-century leaders who helped shape Georgia’s political and legal landscape during the antebellum era.