USA > Connecticut > Connecticut as a colony and as a state; or, One of the original thirteen, Volume III > Part 23
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From Maine came William D. Williamson, born in Can- terbury, July 31, 1779. He began the practice of law at Bangor, and was president of Maine's first Senate, and by the resignation of Governor King he became Acting Gover- nor. Mr. Williams was the author of a History of Maine. He died at Bangor May 27, 1846.
Josiah S. Johnston, mentioned in a preceding chapter, began his Congressional career as a Representative from Louisiana, in the Seventeenth Congress.
By the apportionment in accordance with the Census of 1820, Connecticut's representation in the House of Represen- tatives was reduced to six; there was only one new member to the Eighteenth Congress,-Lemuel Whitman, a graduate
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of Yale College in 1800; he served one term, and died at Farmington Nov. 18, 1841.
From Central New York came Ela Collins of Lowville, born at Meriden, Feb. 14, 1786. He became a lawyer, and afterwards commanded a regiment of militia at Sackett's Harbor, in the war of 1812. He served as Representative one term, and died at Lowville Nov. 12, 1848. Parmenio Adams, a native of Hartford, removed to Batavia, New York; was a paymaster during the war of 1812. He was a Federalist, and served as Representative from 1823-'27.
Dudley Marvin, born at Lyme in 1787, removed to Can- andaigua, and in 181 I began the practice of law, soon attain- ing eminence in his profession. He was an Adams Democrat, and afterwards became a member of the Whig party. He was Representative 1823-'29, and was a member of the Com- mittee for Modification and Revision of the Tariff; in absence of the chairman he made an elaborate report, which was the basis of the measure known as the "Woolen Bill." In 1844 he removed to Ripley, New York, where he was again elected to Congress, serving 1847-'49. In a speech on the Presi- dent's Message, referring to the Mexican war, his remarks on the extension of slavery in the Territories were almost prophetic in their character. Mr. Marvin's distingushing characteristics were unusual gifts as an orator, and an extreme subtlety of observation, that rendered his powers of cross- examination exceptional. He died at Ripley June 25, 1852.
To fill a vacancy in Pennsylvania's representation, Chaun- cey, a younger brother of Walter Forward, was elected. He was re-elected for the two succeeding terms. Mr. Forward was born at Old Granby, and in 1800 removed with his father to Ohio; studied law, and was admitted to practice at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He took special interest in the
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Baptist Church, and became a successful and popular preacher, but did not leave politics or cease to practice as a lawyer. He died in 1839.
For four Congresses Louisiana sent Henry H. Gurley, ' born in Lebanon in 1787. He studied law and began practice at Baton Rouge, where he died in 1832.
The Ohio delegation to the Eighteenth Congress was strengthened by the election of Elisha Whittlesey. He was born at Washington, Oct. 19, 1783; removed in 1806 to the Western Reserve, and served as a Representative in Con- gress from 1823 to July 9, 1838, when he resigned. Mr. Whittlesey was one of the founders of the Whig party, and held several government positions. He was appointed by President Taylor First Comptroller of the Treasury, and held the office until the accession of President Buchanan; he was reappointed by President Lincoln in 1861. He died at Wash- ington, D. C., Jan. 7, 1863.
The new members of the Connecticut delegation to the Nineteenth Congress were Elisha Phelps, a member of the Sixteenth Congress, John Baldwin, Orange Merwin, and Ralph J. Ingersoll. They were all re-elected to the Twen- tieth, and Mr. Ingersoll served through the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses. He was born in New Haven, Feb. 8, 1788; and admitted to the bar in 1811. He was conspicuous as a debater, and was styled the Young Hotspur. He was a Democrat in politics, and was appointed by Presi- dent Polk minister plenipotentiary to Russia. He died at New Haven, Aug. 26, 1872.
To this Congress came from New York Timothy H. Por- ter, a native of New Haven; a lawyer who located at Olean, also Nicoll Fosdick, a native of New London, who located at Norway.
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From Ohio for two terms came John C. Wright, born in Wethersfield in 1783; studied law, began practice at Steu- benville, and became judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio. He afterwards removed to Cincinnati where he became pro- prietor of the Cincinnati Gazette. He was a member of the Peace Congress. He died at Washington, D. C., Feb. 13, 1861.
To fill a vacancy, Pennsylvania sent Thomas H. Sill, a native of Connecticut; he was a lawyer by profession, and settled in practice at Erie. He was also a member of the Twenty-first Congress. From the same State came Charles Miner, born in Norwich, Feb. 1, 1780. When a youth of nineteen he removed with his father to Wilkesbarre, Penn- sylvania; he subsequently settled in Westchester. He was a Representative in Congress 1825-'29, and declined a re- election on account of deafness. He was author of a His- tory of Wyoming, still a classic in its way and an authority of the first water; also wrote upon the silk-growing business. Mr. Miner was universally respected for his high character and ability. He died at Wilkesbarre, Oct. 26, 1865.
The new Connecticut member to the Twentieth Congress was David Plant a native of Stratford. He had been Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, a member of the State Senate, and Lieutenant-Governor 1823-'27. Mr. Plant died in his native town, Oct. 18, 1851.
New York sent two Democrats, natives of Connecticut, to this Congress. John C. Clark was again Representative 1837-'43. Phineas Tracy, twice re-elected, was born in Nor- wich Dec. 25, 1786; was admitted to the bar, and settled in Batavia; he was first elected to Congress on an Anti-Masonic ticket.
There were four new members in the Connecticut delega-
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tion to the Twenty-first Congress: Jabez Huntington was to serve until 1834, when he was transferred to the Senate. William W. Ellsworth served until 1833; as a member of the judiciary committee he prepared and reported the present copyright law. Ebenezer Young born at Killingly in 1784. He was Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives two years, and served for three Congressionl terms. His death occurred at West Killingly, Aug. 18, 1851. William L. Storrs was born at Middletown March 25, 1791, and admitted to the bar in 1817. Mr. Storrs had been Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives; he was re-elected to the Twenty-second Congress, also to the Twenty- sixth Congress. He resigned from the latter in June 1840, to accept a place on the Connecticut Bench, which position he filled until his death at Hartford, June 25, 1861.
Two natives of Connecticut were new members for New York to the Twenty-first Congress. Henry B. Cowles born at Hartford; removed to Dutchess County and began the practice of law in the adjoining county. Ambrose Spencer, born in Salisbury Dec. 13, 1765, settled at Hudson, where he became a lawyer; in 1810 he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, retiring from the Bench in 1823. Originally a Democrat, in 1844 he was President of the National Whig Convention at Baltimore. He died at Lyons, New York, March 13, 1848.
To fill a vacancy, Humphrey H. Leavitt was elected Rep- resentative from Ohio, and was twice re-elected. He was born at Suffield, June 18, 1796; removed in an early day with his brother to the Western Reserve. He began the practice of law at Steubenville, Ohio, and in 1834 resigned from Con- gress to become judge of the District Court of Ohio, filling the position until his death at Springfield, Ohio, in 1873.
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Judge Leavitt decided the Vallandigham case during the Civil War, and President Lincoln is credited with the remark "that it was worth three victories to him."
Frederic Whittlesey born in Washington, June 12, 1799; studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Utica, New York; afterwards settled at Rochester. He was a member of the Morgan committee, and conducted an Anti-Masonic political paper. He was re-elected to the Twenty-third Congress, and was afterwards Vice-Chancellor and Judge of the Supreme Court of New York. He died at Rochester, Sept. 12, 1851.
At the opening of the Twenty-third Congress, Samuel Tweedy was the only new member in the Connecticut delega- tion; before the expiration of that Congress, Joseph Trum- bull was elected to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of W. W. Ellsworth. Representative Foot having been elected Governor, Ebenezer Jackson, Jr., was elected for the unex- pired term. Phineas Miner, an eminent lawyer, a resident of Litchfield, was elected to the unexpired term made by the transfer of Jabez Huntington to the Senate.
Among the new members of the New York delegation to this Congress were four Democrats, natives of Connecticut : Henry Mitchell was a physician of Norwich. Sherman Page, who was re-elected, was a lawyer of Unadilla, Abel Hunting- ton, a native of Norwich, who at an early age removed to East Hampton, Long Island, where he practiced medicine for sixty years,-was a Representative in Congress from 1833- '37. William Taylor, who removed with his parents to Onon- daga County, had been president of the New York Medical Society, and practiced his profession for fifty years. He was a Representative in Congress 1833-'39.
At the opening of the Twenty-fourth Congress, six Demo-
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crats constituted the Connecticut delegation, all of whom made their first appearance as national legislators.
At the head of the delegation was Isaac Toucey, who was to become prominently identified with both national and state politics.
Another important member was Samuel Ingham born in Hebron, Sept. 5, 1793, admitted to the bar in 1815; two years later he settled in Saybrook. During his Congressional career he was chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, also a member of the Committee on Commerce; he was often called upon to preside over the committee of the whole, and discharged the duties with great skill and ability, during some of the stormy and protracted sessions of the House. Mr. Ingham died at Essex, Nov. 10, 1881.
Andrew T. Judson was born in what is now Eastford, Nov. 29, 1784; he obtained only a common-school education, but studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1806. Soon after this he removed to Vermont, but three years later returned to Canterbury, which he made his permanent home. He was Representative in Congress 1835-'37 ; he was appointed judge of the District Court, and continued in that position until his death, March 17, 1853. Among the cases brought before him for abjudication was the libel of the Amistad and the Africans on board.
Elisha Haley was born at Groton, Jan. 21, 1776; was by occupation a farmer, but was an active leader in politics. Zal- mon Wildman was a native of Danbury; he died at Wash- ington, D. C., Dec. 10, 1835, and was succeeded by Thomas T. Whittlesey, a member of Yale class of 1817, a lawyer by profession. The other member of the delegation was Launce- lot Phelps.
From New York to the Twenty-fourth Congress, of Con-
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necticut birth, came William Mason, who located in Che- nango County; William Seymour who resided at Bingham- ton; Graham H. Chapin, who settled at Mount Morris, and Francis Granger, a native of Suffield, who has already been mentioned in this work. Mr. Granger was defeated for the Twenty-fifth Congress, was re-elected to the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh, but declined all further re-nominations.
Isaac E. Crary a native of Preston, a lawyer by profession, was a delegate to Congress from the Territory of Michigan, and on its admission as a State in 1836 was elected Represen- tative, filling the office until 1841.
There was one change in Connecticut's delegation to the Twenty-fifth Congress: Orrin Holt, a lawyer, took the seat made vacant by the retirement of Andrew T. Judson.
The new members to the Twenty-fifth Congress from New York State, of Connecticut birth, were Luther C. Peck, from the western part of the State, who was re-elected; James B. Spencer, a Democrat, native of Salisbury and a resident of Fort Covington ; Arphaxad Loomis, born in Winchester, and located at Little Falls; Bennet Bicknell, a native of Mans- field, who settled at Morrisville; and Amasa J. Parker. The latter was born in Sharon in 1807; admitted to the bar at Delhi, New York, in the fall of 1828. He was a Democrat in politics, and became judge of the Supreme Court of New York. He died at Albany, May 13, 1890.
Ohio sent as one of her Representatives John W. Allen, a son of John Allen who represented Connecticut in the Fifth Congress. Mr. Allen was born in Litchfield in 1802 ; removed in 1825 to Cleveland, Ohio, of which city he was mayor. He was a member of the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Con- gresses, and served on the Committee on Militia and Military Affairs.
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The six Democratic Connecticut Representatives gave place in the Twenty-sixth Congress, to six members of the Whig party; of these William L. Storrs and Joseph Trumbull were members of earlier Congresses. The others were Truman Smith, who was afterwards to become a Senator, Thomas B. Osborn, Thomas W. Williams, and John H. Brockway.
Mr. Osborne was born in Weston, July 8, 1798; gradu- ated from Yale College in 1817, and began practice as a law- yer in his native town. After his retirement from Congress, he was for ten years professor of Law at Yale; though a man of retiring disposition, he was a model in private and social life. He died Sept. 2, 1869.
Mr. Williams was born in Stonington, Sept. 28, 1789, and was engaged in the mercantile business at New London. Mr. Brockway was born in Ellington, Jan. 31, 1801; was a law- yer, and had served in both houses of the Connecticut Legis- lature. He died July 29, 1870.
From New York State came to the Twenty-sixth Congress five new members who were natives of Connecticut: Judson Allen, John Ely, Meredith Mallory of Hammondsport, Charles Johnston, a lawyer of Poughkeepsie, and Theron R. Strong, born in Salisbury Nov. 7, 1802. The latter opened a law office at Palmyra, and was a judge of the Supreme Court of New York. He died at New York City, May 15, 1873.
From Ohio also came two natives of Connecticut to this Congress : Jonathan Taylor of Newark, and David A. Stark- weather a lawyer of Canton, who was afterwards a member of the Twenty-ninth Congress, and from 1854 to 1857 min- ister Plenipotentiary to Chili.
The only change in the Connecticut delegation to the Twen- ty-seventh Congress was the election of William W. Board- man in place of William L. Storrs. Mr. Boardman was
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born in New Milford, Oct. 10, 1794; was a lawyer, and had held judicial and legislative positions.
To fill a vacancy in the Maine delegation, David Bronson, a lawyer, native of Suffield, was elected.
Sherlock J. Andrews, born in Wallingford Nov. 17, 1801, a graduate of Union College, removed in 1825 to Cleveland, Ohio, where he began the practice of law; his wit, eloquence, sympathy, good sense, and integrity, gave him great power before a jury, or the public. He shared with Thomas Cor- win, at one time, the leadership of the Whig party in Ohio. He served one term in the House of Representatives, but was afterwards judge of the Superior Court of Ohio. He died at Cleveland, Feb. 11, 1880.
By the new apportionment, based on the Census of 1840, Connecticut's representation in the lower house of Congress was four. Since 1837 the State had been divided into six Congressional districts, a Representative being elected from each district. In 1842, by an act of the General Assembly, four districts were established as follows: District No. 1, consisting of the counties of Hartford and Tolland; district No. 2, the counties of New Haven and Middlesex; district No. 3, the counties of New London and Windham; district No. 4, the counties of Fairfield and Litchfield.
The first election in these new districts resulted in the choice of four Democrats; the most prominent of these was Thomas H. Seymour. The member from the third district was George S. Catlin, born in Harwinton, Aug. 7, 1809. He began the practice of law at Windham, where he died Dec. 26, 1851. Samuel Simon was a native of Bridgeport, where he died Jan. 13, 1847. John Stewart born in Chatham in 1795, was a farmer by occupation; he died in his native town Sept. 16, 1860.
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Four Democrats, natives of Connecticut, were sent as new members from New York, to the Twenty-eighth Congress : Edward Rogers, a lawyer from Madison County; Moses G. Leonard, from New York City; Orville Hungerford, from Watertown, who was Representative 1843-'47; and David L. Seymour. The latter was born in Wethersfield, Dec. 2, 1803, began the practice of law at Troy; was also Repre- sentative 1851-'52.
David R. Tilden of Ravenna, Ohio, a native of Connec- ticut, was a Representative to Congress 1843-'47.
There was a complete change in the political complexion of the members of the Connecticut delegation to the Twenty- ninth Congress. Truman Smith was again to become a mem- ber of the lower house of Congress; James Dixon was to com- mence his eventful Congressional career. From the second district came Samuel D. Hubbard, John A. Rockwell repre- sented the third district. He was born in Norwich, Aug. 27, 1803, and studied law, which he practiced with ability and success. During his terms in Congress he was chairman of the Committee on Claims. He subsequently practiced in the Court of Claims, and was the author of a work on Spanish law. He died of apoplexy at Washington, D. C., Feb. 10, 1861.
The New York delegation to the Twenty-ninth Congress numbered among its new members three natives of Connec- ticut: Stephen Strong from Owego; Bradford R. Wood, a native of Westport, a lawyer at Albany, afterwards United States Representative to the Court of Denmark, and William W. Woodworth of Hyde Park.
A noted philanthropist, who had given bountifully to churches of all denominations, public schools, city parks, and charitable institutions, was Dudley S. Gregory Representative
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from New Jersey to the Twenty-ninth Congress. He was born in Redding Feb. 5, 1800; removed to Albany in 1808; finally engaged in the iron business in the Adirondacks. He died at Jersey City, Dec. 8, 1874.
From Missouri came a son of Connecticut to this Congress, who was destined to have a long Congressional career; he was eight times re-elected. John S. Phelps was a son of Elisha Phelps, three times a Representative from Connecticut. John S. was born in Simsbury, Dec. 22, 1814; graduated from Washington (now Trinity) College, and studied law with his father, emigrating to Missouri in 1843, he settled at Springfield. He was a member of the Select Committee of Thirty-three on the Rebellious States. Mr. Phelps served as a colonel of volunteers in 1861, and the following year was appointed by President Lincoln Military Governor of Arkan- sas. He was Governor of Missouri 1877-'81, and died at St. Louis, Nov. 20, 1886.
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CHAPTER XXVI
CONNECTICUT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE THIRTIETH TO THE FIFTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS
T HERE were no changes in the Connecticut dele- gation to the Thirtieth Congress. From New York State came as new members of Connec- ticut birth, Harmon S. Conger of Cortland, who was re-elected; George A. Starkweather of Cooperstown; John M. Holly, a lawyer from Lyons, who died before the expiration of his term of office; Daniel Gott, who was re-elected; Daniel B. St. John, a native of Sharon, engaged in mercantile business, who was re-elected, and was afterwards State Bank Commissioner of New York; Fred- erick W. Lord, born in Lyme, a practicing physician at Sag Harbor; and Frederick A., a son of Benjamin Talmadge, a Representative from Connecticut for eighteen years. Freder- ick A. was born in Litchfield, Aug. 29, 1792; graduated from Yale College in 1811, and three years later began the practice of law in New York City. He had been alderman of the city, president of the State Senate, and city Recorder for five years. After his Congressional term, he was again Recorder for three years, and in 1857 was appointed General Superinten- dent of the Metropolitan police; subsequently clerk of the Court of Appeals. He died at Litchfield, Sept. 17, 1869.
In the Pennsylvania delegation to the Thirtieth Congress was Samuel Bridges born in Colchester, Jan. 27, 1802; admitted to the bar, and began practice at Allentown. He was also a member of the Thirty-third and Fortieth Con- gresses. From the same State, William Strong born in Som- ers, May 6, 1808, was elected Representative. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at Philadelphia, and began practice at Reading. He was re-elected; upon retiring from Congress he continued the practice of his profession until 1857, when he was elected a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. In 1870 he was appointed justice of the Su-
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preme Court of the United States, serving until his resignation in 1880. He died Aug. 19, 1895. John Crowell of Warren was a native of Connecticut, and a Representative from Ohio 1847-51.
John H. Tweedy, born in Connecticut, removed to Wis- consin in 1837 and began the practice of law at Milwaukee. He was a member of the first constitutional convention of that Territory, and in 1847 was a delegate to Congress. He died at Milwaukee, Nov. 12, 1891.
To the Thirty-first Congress, Connecticut sent a new dele- gation. From the first district, Loren P. Waldo, a Democrat, was elected. He was born in Canterbury, Feb. 2, 1802, read law, and was admitted to practice locating at Tolland. He was afterwards judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut. The second district sent Walter Booth, a Free-Soiler born in Woodbridge, Dec. 8, 1791; he settled at Meriden, and be- came a merchant, manufacturer, and banker. The member of Congress from the third district was Chauncey F. Cleveland; he was re-elected. Thomas B. Butler a member of the Whig party represented the fourth district; he was born in Weth- ersfield, Aug. 22, 1806, practiced medicine for eight years, then studied law, and in 1837 became a member of the bar. Judge Butler was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Errors of Connecticut; he was a careful student of the law, and his strict ideas of equity gave his decisions a high reputa- tion. He died at Norwalk, June 8, 1873.
Among the new members from New York were three sons of Connecticut : Lorenzo Burrows, a resident of Albion, who was re-elected, and in 1855 was State Comptroller; Elijah Risley, who had emigrated to Chautauqua County, and died at Fredonia, aged ninety years, and Herman D. Gould from Delhi.
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Orrin Fowler, born in Lebanon, July 29, 1791, gradu- ated from Yale College in 1815, and then made a mission- ary tour in the Mississippi valley; he was afterwards set- tled over a Congregationalist church in Plainfield, but finally removed to Fall River, Massachusetts. He was elected as a Free Soil Whig to the Thirty-first Congress, and was re-elected, but died at Washington, Sept. 3, 1852. Mr. Fowler was an advocate of temperance and a strong oppon- ent of slavery.
From Vermont came William Hebard, born in Connecti- cut; he settled at Chelsea, where he became a lawyer. He was Representative from 1849-53.
One of Ohio's members of Congress was William A. Whittlesey, a native of Connecticut; he settled at Marietta, where he practiced law.
Prominent among the Illinois Representatives was Thomas L. Harris, born in Norwich, Oct. 29, 1816. He studied law and began the practice of his profession in Petersburg, Illi- nois. He commanded a company in the Mexican War; was elected major, and at Cerro Gordo commanded a regiment. He was re-elected to the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Con- gresses, but his death occurred at Springfield, Illinois, Nov. 24, 1858, mainly due to his efforts at the polls in the election of that year.
There were three new members in the Connecticut delega- tion to the Thirty-second Congress.
From the first district the defeated candidate of the pre- vious election, Charles Chapman, a member of the Whig party, was elected. He was born in Newtown, June 21, 1799; began the practice of law at New Haven, but in 1828 removed to Hartford. As a criminal lawyer his powers of addressing a jury were remarkable; his wit was keen
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and ever in hand; none approached him in readiness of retort. He was the temperance candidate for Governor in 1854, but afterwards became identified with the Republican party. He died at Hartford, Aug. 7, 1869.
The second district elected Colin M. Ingersoll, a Demo- crat and a member of the legal fraternity. Mr. Ingersoll was Representative 1851-55.
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