William Wilkins (American politician)

William Wilkins
Member of the Pennsylvania State Senate
from the 22nd district
In office
1857–1858
Preceded byJonas R. McClintock
Succeeded byJacob Turney
19th United States Secretary of War
In office
February 15, 1844 – March 4, 1845
PresidentJohn Tyler
Preceded byJames Madison Porter
Succeeded byWilliam L. Marcy
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
In office
1843–1844
Preceded byDaniel D. Barnard
Succeeded byRomulus Mitchell Saunders
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 21st district
In office
March 4, 1843 – February 14, 1844
Preceded byThomas McKennan
Succeeded byCornelius Darragh
United States Minister to Russia
In office
December 14, 1834 – December 24, 1835
PresidentAndrew Jackson
Preceded byJames Buchanan
Succeeded byJohn Randolph Clay (acting)
United States Senator
from Pennsylvania
In office
March 4, 1831 – June 30, 1834
Preceded byWilliam Marks
Succeeded byJames Buchanan
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
In office
May 12, 1824 – April 14, 1831
Appointed byJames Monroe
Preceded byJonathan Hoge Walker
Succeeded byThomas Irwin
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1819-1820
Personal details
Born
William Wilkins

(1779-12-20)December 20, 1779
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJune 23, 1865(1865-06-23) (aged 85)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyJacksonian Democrat
Other political
affiliations
Federalist
RelationsJohn Wilkins Jr.
Ross Wilkins
EducationDickinson College
read law

William Wilkins (December 20, 1779 – June 23, 1865) was an American judge and politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Jacksonian member of the United States Senate from 1831 to 1834 and as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 21st congressional district from 1843 to 1844. He served as a member of both houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Minister to Russia and the 19th United States Secretary of War.