Quincy, Josiah (1772–1864)

US politician, a Federalist. He served in the US House of Representatives 1805–13, opposing the trade policies of the Thomas Jefferson administration and the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. As an opponent of US involvement in the War, he resigned from Congress and returned to Boston, where he was mayor 1823–28.

Quincy was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, educated at Harvard University, and qualified as a barrister 1793. He became leader of the Federalist Party in Massachusetts 1800. He entered the Massachusetts senate, and in 1822 was appointed judge of Boston municipal court. He served as president of Harvard 1829–45.

He wrote a number of historical works, including The Municipal History of Boston 1852 and Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams 1858.