Peter Dumont Vroom

Peter Dumont Vroom (December 12, 1791 – November 18, 1873), an American Democratic Party politician, served as the ninth Governor of New Jersey (serving two terms in office; from 1829–1832 and 1833–1836) and as a member of the United States House of Representatives for a single term, from 1839–1841.

Not to be confused with the actor who plays Lance Smart.
Peter Dumont Vroom
9th Governor of New Jersey
In office
November 6, 1829 – October 26, 1832
Preceded byIsaac Halstead Williamson
Succeeded bySamuel L. Southard
In office
October 25, 1833 – October 28, 1836
Preceded byElias P. Seeley
Succeeded byPhilemon Dickerson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's At-large district
In office
March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841
Preceded byThomas J. Yorke
Succeeded byThomas J. Yorke
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
In office
1826–1829
Personal details
Born(1791-12-12)December 12, 1791
Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
DiedNovember 18, 1873(1873-11-18) (aged 81)
Trenton, New Jersey
Political partyDemocratic

Early life

He was born in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey the son of Col. Peter Dumont Vroom (1745-1831) who represented Somerset County as an Assemblyman (1790–91, 1794–96, and 1811–13) and in the Legislative Council from 1798 to 1804 as a Federalist. The younger Vroom graduated from Columbia College, New York in 1808. After studying law at Somerville Academy he was admitted to the bar in 1813.

Politics

Governorship of New Jersey (Terms 1 & 2)

Vroom was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1826 to 1829. He then served as governor of New Jersey from 1829 to 1832 and 1833 to 1836. As governor, Vroom supported the establishment of the Camden and Amboy Railroad and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.

Congress

In 1838, Vroom was one of five Democratic candidates for Congress to become involved in the Broad Seal War controversy. Disputed election results caused the U.S. House of Representatives to challenge the Whig candidates certified by Governor William Pennington. After a lengthy fight, Vroom and the four other Democrats were seated in place of the Whigs. Vroom lost his bid for reelection in 1840.

Ministership

He then served as a delegate to the New Jersey State Constitutional Convention in 1844. He was appointed by President Franklin Pierce as United States Minister to Prussia from November 4, 1853 through August 10, 1857.

Death

Vroom died in Trenton, New Jersey and was buried in the DuMont Cemetery off River Road in Hillsborough, New Jersey.

  • United States Congress. "Peter Dumont Vroom (id: V000123)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20110725005156/http://slic.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/Governors_of_New_Jersey/GVROO.pdf biography of Governor Vroom at the New Jersey State Library
  • Political Graveyard information for Peter Dumont Vroom
Political offices
Preceded by
Isaac Halstead Williamson		 Governor of New Jersey
November 6, 1829 – October 26, 1832		 Succeeded by
Samuel L. Southard
Preceded by
Elias P. Seeley		 Governor of New Jersey
October 25, 1833 – October 28, 1836		 Succeeded by
Philemon Dickerson
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
John Bancker Aycrigg, William Halstead, John Patterson Bryan Maxwell, Joseph Fitz Randolph, Charles C. Stratton, Thomas Jones Yorke		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Jersey's at-large congressional district
March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841
Served alongside: William Raworth Cooper, Philemon Dickerson, Joseph Kille, Joseph Fitz Randolph, Daniel Bailey Ryall		 Succeeded by
John Bancker Aycrigg, William Halstead, John Patterson Bryan Maxwell, Joseph Fitz Randolph, Charles C. Stratton, Thomas Jones Yorke
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Daniel D. Barnard		 United States Envoy to Prussia
November 4, 1853 – August 10, 1857		 Succeeded by
Joseph A. Wright
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