Background
Niles, Nathaniel was born on April 3, 1741 in South Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. Son of Samuel and Sarah (Niles) Niles.
lawyer politician representative
Niles, Nathaniel was born on April 3, 1741 in South Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. Son of Samuel and Sarah (Niles) Niles.
He attended Harvard College and graduated from Princeton College in 1766. He studied law and medicine, and taught in New York City. Niles also studied theology and preached in Norwich and Torrington, Connecticut.
Invented process for making wire, erected mills in Norwich and Torrington, Connecticut. Member Connecticut Legislature, 1779-1781. One of 1st settlers, West Fairlee, Vermont, circa 1782.
Speaker lower house Vermont Legislature, 1784.
Judge Vermont Supreme Court, 1784-1788. Member Vermont Council, 1785-1787.
Member United States House of Representatives (Jefferson Democrat) from Vermont, 2d-3d congresses, October 17, 1791-1795. A leading member Vermont, Convention to ratify United States Constitution, 1791.
Trustee Dartmouth, 1793-1820.
Member Government"s Council, Vermont, 1803-1809. Presidential elector, 1804, 13. Active in revising fundamental laws of Vermont, 1814.
Delegate Vermont Constitutional Convention, 1814.
An itinerant lay preacher. Author: The American Hero (ode).
After the Revolution, Niles moved to West Fairlee, Orange County, Vermont, was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives in 1784 and served as Speaker. From 1784 to 1788, he was a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court and a member of the council in 1785 and 1787. After his terms in Congress, Niles was again a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1800 to 1803 and 1812 to 1815.
He was a member of the Governor's Council from 1803 to 1809.
Married Nancy Lathrop, circa 1775. Married second, Elizabeth Watson, November 22, 1787.