Return J. Meigs, Jr.
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Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. (also known as Return J. Meigs, Jr.) (pronunciation: "Megz" - rhymes with "eggs") (November 17, 1764–March 29, 1825) was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 4th Governor of Ohio and 8th Postmaster General.
Meigs was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Return J. Meigs, Sr. and the descendant of early Puritan settlers in Massachusetts. He graduated from Yale College in 1785. After passing the bar in Connecticut, he moved to Marietta, Ohio three years later. He was appointed the first Chief Justice of the Ohio State Supreme Court in 1803. He served in that position for a year before serving as a judge in the Louisiana Territory and Michigan Territory. He returned to Ohio in 1807 to run for governor. He won the election, but was declared ineligible for failing to meet the residency requirements. He then was appointed to the U.S. Senate to finish the term of John Smith and was re-elected to his own term a year later. He resigned in late 1810 after winning the governorship. He served two two-year terms, resigning in April 1814 when appointed Postmaster General by President Madison. He served until resigning in 1823 due to ill health.
Return J. Meigs, a junior, was disappointed not to have a male heir. A younger brother, Thomas, named one of his sons Return J. Meigs III. This son passed the bar in Frankfort, Kentucky but commenced law practice in Athens, Tennessee and became prominent in state affairs. Among those men who read law under his tutelage was William Parish Chilton.
Meigs County, Ohio is named in his honor. (Meigs County, Tennessee is named for his father.)
| Preceded by none |
Chief Judge of the Ohio Supreme Court 1803-1804 |
Succeeded by none |
| Preceded by John Smith |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Ohio 1808–1810 Served alongside: Edward Tiffin, Stanley Griswold, Alexander Campbell |
Succeeded by Thomas Worthington |
| Preceded by Samuel H. Huntington |
Governor of Ohio 1810–1814 |
Succeeded by Othneil Looker |
| Preceded by Gideon Granger |
United States Postmaster General 1814–1823 |
Succeeded by John McLean |
| Governors of Ohio |  |
|---|---|
| Tiffin • Kirker • Huntington • Meigs • Looker • Worthington • E. Brown • Trimble • Morrow • Trimble • McArthur • Lucas • Vance • Shannon • Corwin • Shannon • T. Bartley • M. Bartley • Bebb • Ford • Wood • Medill • Chase • Dennison • Tod • Brough • Anderson • J.D. Cox • Hayes • Noyes • Allen • Hayes • Young • Bishop • Foster • Hoadly • Foraker • Campbell • McKinley • Bushnell • Nash • Herrick • Pattison • Harris • Harmon • J.M. Cox • Willis • J.M. Cox • Davis • Donahey • Cooper • White • Davey • Bricker • Lausche • Herbert • Lausche • J. Brown • O'Neill • DiSalle • Rhodes • Gilligan • Rhodes • Celeste • Voinovich • Hollister • Taft • Strickland |
| United States Postmaster Generals |  |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Level: Osgood • Pickering • Habersham • G Granger • Meigs • McLean • Barry • Kendall • Niles • F Granger • Wickliffe • Johnson • Collamer • Hall • Hubbard • Campbell • A Brown • Holt • King • Blair • Dennison • Randall • Creswell • Marshall • Jewell • Tyner • Key • Maynard • James • Howe • Gresham • Hatton • Vilas • Dickinson • Wanamaker • Bissell • Wilson • Gary • Smith • Payne • Wynne • Cortelyou • Meyer • Hitchcock • Burleson • Hays • Work • New • W Brown • Farley • Walker • Hannegan • Donaldson • Summerfield • Day • Gronouski • O'Brien • Watson • Blount
Non-Cabinet Level: Blount • Klassen • Bailar • Bolger • Carlin • Casey • Tisch • Frank • Runyon • Henderson • Potter |
