John Chambers (6 October 1780-21 September 1852) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky and the second Governor of the Iowa Territory.

Chambers was born at Bromley Bridge, Somerset County, New Jersey, on October 6, 1780. He attended the public schools and the Transylvania Seminary at Lexington, Kentucky.

He moved with his father to Washington, Mason County, Kentucky, in 1794. After studying law he was admitted to the bar in 1800 and commenced practice in Washington, Kentucky. Chambers served as aide-de-camp to General William Henry Harrison in the War of 1812 and was at the Battle of the Thames. He served as a member of the State house of representatives in 1812, 1815, 1830, and 1831. In 1825, Chambers was appointed judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He resigned in 1827.

U.S. Congressional career

He was elected as a pro-Adams candidate to the Twentieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Metcalfe and served from December 1, 1828, to March 3, 1829; elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress, and reelected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1835-March 3, 1839); chairman, Committee on Claims (Twenty-fifth Congress).

Chambers represented the counties of Pendleton, Bracken, Robertson, Nicholas and Bourbon

After Congress

Chambers was appointed Governor of the Iowa Territory in 1841, serving until 1845. He was then commissioner to negotiate a treaty with the Sioux Indians in 1849. He died near Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky, September 21, 1852 and was interred in the family burial ground at Washington, Mason County, Kentucky.

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