James H. Platt, Jr.

James Henry Platt, Jr. (July 13, 1837 – August 13, 1894) was a U.S. Representative from Virginia.

Biography

Born in St. John's, Canada, Platt moved to Burlington, Vermont. He attended the common schools. He completed preparatory studies and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Vermont at Burlington in 1859. During the Civil War he entered the Union Army as first sergeant of the Third Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He served as captain and lieutenant colonel. He declined assignment to duty as chief quartermaster of the Sixth Corps. He settled in Petersburg, Virginia, April 6, 1865. He served as member of the State constitutional convention in 1867. He served as member of the city council in 1867 and 1868. He moved to Norfolk, Virginia. Upon the readmission of the State of Virginia to representation Platt was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first, Forty-second, and Forty-third Congresses and served from January 26, 1870, to March 3, 1875. He served as chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds (Forty-third Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1874 to the Forty-fourth Congress. He moved to New York in 1876 and engaged in the manufacture of oil products. He moved to Colorado in 1887 and settled in Denver. He engaged in the insurance business, paper manufacturing, and in mining. He was drowned in Green Lake, near Georgetown, Colorado, August 13, 1894. He was interred in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.

Sources

• United States Congress. "James H. Platt, Jr. (id: P000380)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 

Chairmen of the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Public Buildings and Grounds (1837–1947)	Towns Petrikin Boardman Pratt Ficklin Faran Houston Bowdon Stanton Craige Ball Keitt Train Rice Covode Hopkins Beatty Halsey Platt Holman Cook Shallenberger Stockslager Dibble Milliken Bankhead Milliken Mercer Gillet Bartholdt Sheppard Clark Langley Elliott Lanham
Rivers and Harbors (1883–1947)	Willis Blanchard Henderson Blanchard Catchings Hooker Cooper Burton Alexander Sparkman Small Kennedy Dempsey Mansfield
Roads (1913–1947)	Shackleford Dunn Dowell Almon Cartwright Robinson
Flood Control (1916–1947)	Humphreys Rodenberg Schall Reid Wilson Whittington
Transportation and Infrastructure* (1947–)	Dondero Whittington Buckley Dondero Buckley Fallon Blatnik Jones Johnson Howard Anderson Roe Mineta E. Shuster Young Oberstar Mica W. Shuster
Notes	*Alternately named Public Works and Public Works and Transportation.