Haring, John, 1739-1809

John Haring (September 28, 1739 – April 1, 1809) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a delegate for New York to the Continental Congress.

Born in Tappan in the Province of New York, Haring attended school in New York City, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. He practiced in New York City and Rockland County and served as a county judge in Orange County. As the revolution neared he became a member, and then head of Orange County's Committee of Correspondence. In 1774, the county established their own form of self-government, by adopting the Orangetown Resolutions, which had been drafted by John and his brother Peter. One point in these resolutions was a non-importation agreement which embargoed British goods. When they sent Haring to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, it adopted a very similar agreement on October 20, 1774.

Haring was elected to the New York Provincial Congress five times from 1775 to 1777. In two of those sessions he was the president pro tem of that body. He served in the state Senate from 1781 to 1789, and was returned to national Continental Congress from 1785 to 1787. In 1788 Haring was a delegate to the New York convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. His vote, however, was against ratification, since he believed a stronger recognition of state and individual rights was required. In 1794, he removed to Bergen County, New Jersey, and was a member of the New Jersey Legislature from 1795 to 1796. About 1804, he returned to Tappan, NY, and was a presidential elector in 1804, voting for Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton. He was again a member of the New York State Assembly in 1806. He died at Blauvelt, New York on April 1, 1809, and is buried in the Dutch Reformed Church cemetery at Tappan.