Benjamin A. Gilman

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Benjamin Arthur (Ben) Gilman (born December 6, 1922) is a former Republican United States Representative from New York.

Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, Gilman graduated from Middletown High School in Middletown, New York in 1941 and received a B.S. from the Wharton School of Business and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946. He also earned an LL.B. from New York Law School.

Gilman served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945 during World War II and as assistant attorney general and New York State attorney general from 1953 until 1955. Following this, he practiced law privately.

Gilman was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1966 until 1972 and a member of the New York State Southeastern Water Commission. He was elected to Congress in 1972 to represent New York's 26th congressional district, defeating John G. Dow, a Democratic incumbent who had been serving in the New York's 27th congressional district (which included most of the territory and population of the new 26th district), and served from January 3, 1973 until January 3, 2003. During his time in Congress, he was chair of the House Committee on International Relations (One Hundred Fourth through One Hundred Sixth Congresses). Gilman retired in 2003 after New York's 20th congressional district, which he had represented, was broken up and dispersed among the 20th, 22nd, and 26th districts in the redistricting that followed the 2000 census and reapportionment.

Gilman has been married three times, to the former Jane Prizant (a lawyer with whom he had five children), Rita Kelhofer and Georgia Tingus. His children are Jonathon Gilman, Susan Gilman-Harts, Harrison Gilman, David Gilman (deceased) and Ellen Gilman (deceased). He continues to live in the Hudson Valley district that he represented.

Preceded by Ogden R. Reid	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 26th congressional district 1973–1983	Succeeded by David O'B. Martin
Preceded by Jonathan B. Bingham	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 22nd congressional district 1983–1993	Succeeded by Gerald B.H. Solomon
Preceded by Nita M. Lowey	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 20th congressional district 1993–2003	Succeeded by John E. Sweeney

[edit] Sources

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress