USA > New York > Biographical sketches of the state officers and members of the legislature of the state of New York in 1862 and '63 > Part 18
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a kind, clever, and agreeable gentleman, and enjoys considerable personal popularity among those by whom he is best known.
JOHN CUTLER.
The name of John Cutler is familiar to every resident of the city of Albany. Indeed, there are few men in the State, not connected with official station, more widely known. He is a native of Coeymans, Albany county, and is now about forty-five years of age.
John Cutler is not an Arab, but an Albanian as we have just said ; nevertheless, he strongly resembles the dusky oriental in one particular-his indomitable passion for the horse. His affection for the equine race surpasses the love of women. " And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses, and twelve thousand horsemen," is, no doubt a statement which John had meditated upon more profoundly than any other passage of scripture. In the mere matter of numbers, Solomon was considerably ahead of Cutler, the latter having but several hundred, yet, as regards speed and quality, we would lay a trifling wager, could the thing be got at definitely, that the King was behind the Assemblyman.
Touching his stable-the edifice he has recently erected for the shelter of his most valuable stock, it is admitted, it surpasses everything of the kind mentioned in sacred or profane history. Solomon in all his glory had nothing to compare with it. On St. Patrick's day,
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1863, it was thrown open to the examination of the public, and since then, the daily papers have given us description after description of its marvellous conveni- ence, novelty and magnificence. Henceforward, like Palmer's studio, the Geological rooms and the State Library, it is destined to become one of the favorite resorts of citizens and sojourners in Albany.
Having said this much of his horses and his stable, a word now in relation to their proprietor. We have al- ready stated his age. From the official list of members, with their ages, occupation, &c., we gather the further facts that he weighs 173 pounds, and stands five feet ten in his boots. He is no politician. The reins of Govern- ment are not the kind of reins he is ambitious to hold. His presentation as a candidate for the Assembly was none of his work. A mousing politician, one who creeps through the gutters into office, is as disgusting in his eyes, as a glandered mare. The People took him up, and as an evidence of what they thought of him, he received, in a hitherto closely contested district, out of 4,286 votes cast, 3,838. The mere statement of this factis a sufficient comment on his popularity. It was extraordinary fast time, such as no candidate who ever has, or ever will run over the same political track, can expect to make.
The personal qualities that characterize Mr. Cutler, necessarily render him a favorite among all who know him. He is generous to a fault, honorable in his deal- ings, social, genial and manly. We close this brief sketch with an expression of the hope that he may find a smooth track the remainder of his life, and receive a just man's reward when he reaches the Judge's stand.
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JAMES DARCY.
MR. Darcy was first chosen a member of the Assem- bly in the fall of 1859, and has been a member of that body ever since. During the session of 1860 he was a prominent member of the Committee on Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties, and the author and chief sup- porter of the bills establishing a public market in the city of Brooklyn and cheapening the rate of fare on the Brooklyn ferries. In 1861 he was a member of the Committee on the Erection and Division of Towns and Counties, and during the session of 1862 was prominent on some of the most important committees in the House.
His legislative career has been quiet and unpretend- ing; but the industry, ability and success with which he has discharged his duties to his constituents and the State has not failed to establish his reputation as a safe legislator, fully capable of successfully filling still higher and more important positions at the hands of his fellow citizens.
He was prominently spoken of as a candidate for Speaker at the opening of the present session, but gracefully yielded his support to Judge Dean for that position.
Mr. Darcy was born in the city of Buffalo, on the 12th of November, 1834. He is of pure Irish descent. His father, Daniel Darcy, a prominent and influential man, is still living in that city. His mother, whose maiden name was Eliza Davenport, died in 1848, at the age of thirty-two. He was educated in the public
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schools of his native city, and, in January, 1851, re- moved to the city of Brooklyn, where he has always since resided, spending most of his time in some public official station.
His political position has always been one of consis- tent and unyielding attachment to the Democratic party. When a candidate before the people he has always received the united support of that party, and is justly regarded as one of its most active and energetic young leaders in the county of Kings. There is nothing at all sectional in his composition. He is thoroughly National in all his political views and feelings, and looks upon the success of the Democratic party as the only remain- ing salvation for the country in this the hour of her sorest trial.
Mr. Darcy is married. He is a young gentleman of prepossessing appearance, and, by his superior social qualities, is calculated to make friends wherever he goes. It was he who introduced into the present House the joint resolutions inviting Maj. Gen. McClellan to the Capitol, which passed that body, but were defeated in the Senate.
NATHANIEL W. DAVIS.
COL. DAVIS is one of the leading men in the Assem- bly, and is, in one sense at least, the greatest man in the House. His tall and commanding figure towers high above his associates, and attracts the attention of all
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who visit the Legislature. He is of large frame, large bone, powerful muscle, and measures six feet and three inches in height. He has black hair, blue eyes, a coun- tenance expressing great energy, firmness and decision, yet indicative of mildness and good humor-traits not uncommon in men of large stature and strength. He may be set down as one who would be resolute in resist- ing an encroachment on his rights ; yet he is not dis- posed to be fractious or turbulent, but when drawn into a controversy, whether physical or mental, he knows how to take care of himself, and generally escapes unscathed.
Col. Davis was born in Weston, Litchfield county, Conn., on the 10th of May, 1807. He is of Irish and Welch extraction on his paternal side, and English on his maternal. His father, Nathaniel Davis, was a miller and farmer, and followed his calling in Weston until the spring of 1820, when he removed to the town of Catha- rine, Tioga (now Schuyler) county, N. Y., and settled near Johnson's Settlement. Here he spent the remainder of his days, and died in August, 1826, quickly following to the grave his deceased wife, who died the month pre- ceding. The family are of good Revolutionary stock, and have always been distinguished for their integrity, honor and industry.
Col. Davis commenced his education in the common school and academy at Weston, and completed it at the academy in Ithaca, Tompkins county. He read law with Hon. David Woodcock, of Ithaca, one of the best lawyers in the State; and after being admitted to prac- tice, removed to Owego, Tioga county, in 1832, where
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he entered into partnership with E. S. Sweet, Esq. He was admitted as an Attorney in the Supreme Court in No- vember, 1833, and in 1837 as Counsellor ; also as Solicitor and Counsellor in Chancery in 1837, and as Proctor and Counsellor in the District Court of the United States in New York in 1842. Mr. Davis still resides in Owego, where he does an extensive business in his profession.
In 1844 Col. Davis represented Tioga county in the Assembly, and in the fall of 1862 he was again elected to the same office. In politics he was a Whig until the party ceased to be, when he joined the Republicans. He is conservative in his opinions, and has no sympathy with Abolitionism. He has served as Surrogate of, and Commissioner of Loans for the county of Tioga; and President of the village of Owego. He has also had considerable military experience, having several years commanded the Fifty-third and Fourty-fourth Regi- ments N. Y. S. M.
As a lawyer Col. Davis occupies a high place at the bar of his own county and Judicial district. He is a man of great industry, research and perseverance, and by his indomitable energy has gained a reputation of which any man might be proud. His reasoning powers are good, and he enforces his arguments with a good deal of power and eloquence. He is always safe and reliable, never holding out false hopes to a client, but giving an honest opinion of the merits and law in the case ; hence he is usually successful.
In the present crisis Col. Davis has shown himself true to the Government. On the first breaking out of the rebellion he was early in the field ; and by his great
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energy and perseverance recruited the first company that was raised in the State. He has also sent his only son to the battle-field to win glory and renown, or, it may be, die a glorious death.
Col. Davis has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Harriet M. Clow, of Saratoga, to whom he was married in May, 1833. She died in Owego in November, 1837. His present wife was Miss Ann R. Winton, to whom he was married in May, 1839. He attends the Episcopal Church.
GILBERT DEAN.
MR. DEAN is, perhaps, the ablest man in the Assembly, at least of the Democrats, and will certainly rank the high- est as a debater. His speeches are well arranged, pure in style, evincing chaste and finished scholarship, and clear, forcible and logical in their deduction. His opponents, even, can listen to him with satisfaction and delight, ad- miring the beautiful diction in which his ideas are clothed, and the fervid eloquence with which they are uttered. They will not, of course, justify his conclusions, but they must admit the plausibility of his arguments, and the ability and ingenuity with which he strives to make the " worse appear the better cause." The man of genius and talent will always command respect, though the doctrines and sentiments that he inculcates may not be acceded to. So with Mr. Dean. All parties accord to him the highest place among the orators of the Legislature ; while no oppo-
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nent, probably, can be induced by his eloquence to swerve from the party dictum, though non-committals would ac- knowledge at once the wisdom of his conclusions.
Mr. Dean was born in Dutchess county, and is about forty-five years old. He graduated at Yale College, Con- necticut, with high honors, taking the first prize in mathe- matics and in composition. Among his class-mates were ex-Senator James Wadsworth, Donald G. Mitchell (the Ike Marvel), Frank P. Blair, Professor Emerson, and others. He was not only distinguished among them as a scholar and student of original mind, but also as the most skillful col- lege politician, and adroit and able debater. He was also first President, from his class, of the Linonian Society, in which contest he was opposed by Donald G. Mitchell, over whom he was elected by a handsome majority.
He was admitted to the bar, and entered upon the prac- tice of the law in Poughkeepsie, in the spring of 1844, and soon secured a large and profitable business. Clients came to him from all quarters, not from his own immediate vicinity only, but from distant cities and neighboring States. Here he had as competitors old practitioners, such men as Henry Swift, Stephen Cleveland, Charles Johnston, and others, lawyers who had long been known in the profession, and were in the full blast of a successful business - men who would have been distinguished in their profession any- where. But by dint of perseverance, confidence in his own powers, and the brilliancy and solidity of his talents, he forced his way to a level with the best of them.
In 1850, Mr. Dean was nominated for Congress, in the Eleventh Congressional District, and was elected by a triumphant majority. This distinction was a high honor,
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as there were many men in the district whose character and talents abundantly fitted them for the position, and whose age and experience seemed to point them out as more appropriate candidates. But the popular will was in his favor, and the current could not be stayed ; he was selected, elected, and the result justified the highest expec- tations of his friends. He was the youngest member on the floor of the House; but, nevertheless, he entered at once upon his duties and soon made his mark. His speeches are quoted as among the best delivered in Congress, and by general consent he was ranked as one of the ablest and most eloquent members. He was instrumental in obtain- ing the passage of a law, proposed many years ago, autho- rizing the erection of a statue of Washington, an appropria- tion which he advocated and obtained. In 1852, he was re-elected, and during the whole of his second term, maintained the elevated position he had gained on the first. He was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and as such, presented the Committee's resolution of thanks to Capt. Ingraham, of the frigate St. Louis, who was the hero in the affair of Martin Koszta, in the harbor of Smyrna. But our limits will not allow us to follow Mr. Dean throughout his Congressional career ; suffice it to say that he was identified with the passage of many important laws, prominent among which was one for the establishment of the "New York Assay Office," a measure of vast im- portance to the Commercial Metropolis.
In one of his speeches in Congress, speaking of the future relative position of the Democratic and Anti Slavery par- ties, he uttered the following sentiment, in prophetic vein,
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which, in almost the identical words, is now the rallying cry of the great Union party of the Nation. He said :
" We, standing on the battle-ground of the Nation, under national colors, will bear aloft, in success, or disaster; in victory, or defeat; in the conflict, or after its close, THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR FATHERS, THE UNION AS IT IS !"
In 1854, Mr. Dean was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court, by Governor Seymour ; an office of which the whole bar had requested his acceptance. In 1856, he removed to the city of New York, and resumed the duties of his profession, and was one of the counsel for the defense in the trial of Mrs. Cunningham, for the murder of Dr. Burdell. In 1862, he was nominated and elected to the present Assembly, and was the Democratic candidate for Speaker at the opening of the session.
In person, he is of medium height, with brown hair, bald on the crown; heavy mustache, blue eyes and fresh countenance. His manners are polished, his deportment easy and unconstrained. He has amassed a handsome property, and has an elegant establishment at the head of Madison Avenue.
Mr. Dean married the daughter of Hon. Alvan Stewart, formerly of Cherry Valley, one of the most eloquent and profound jurists in the State.
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CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW.
MR. DEPEW is one of the ablest members of the Assembly, and bids fair to become a prominent man in the State. He possesses decided ability, to which may be added a good degree of industry, energy and perse- verance. Although looking much older, he is scarcely twenty-nine years of age; but his bearing and business habits, partake more of the character of middle age, or even maturer years, than of the impetuosity and reckless- ness of youth. He seems to have reached manhood earlier than usually falls to the lot of mortals ; or, if not fully matured, and he improves as rapidly for a few years to come, as in the past, he may be set down as possessing extraordinary talents. His looks, bearing, habits and settled character indicate maturity of years, while the fact is indisputable that he is still in his youth. His father is only fifty-five years old, and his mother is less than fifty. He is, in fact, a venerable young man, a proper associate and companion of men of the preced- ing generation. His vigor of intellect, too, is in accord- ance with his appearance -- possessing the strength, solidity and ripeness of middle age.
Mr. Depew was born in Peekskill, Westchester county, April 23, 1834. His father, Isaac Depew, who is still living, is descended from the French Huguenots. His mother, who is also living, is a descendant of the Sher- mans of Connecticut - the branch to which Roger Sherman belonged. He graduated at Yale College in 1856, with one of the first honors of his class ; studied
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law with Hon. William Nelson, of Peekskill, and was admitted to the bar in 1858. In 1859 he commenced practice in that village, where he still resides. He has mingled some in political matters, and was a delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1858. In 1860 he stumped the Ninth Congressional District in favor of Lin- coln. In 1861 he was elected Member of the Assembly as a Union Republican by an unusually large majority -his own town, which gave a majority for the State Democratic ticket, giving him a majority of two hun- dred and fifty-nine! His antecedents were Democratic, but on the occasion of the repeal of the Missouri Com- promise he went over to the Republicans, and cast his first vote for Fremont.
In 1862 he was re-elected to the Assembly, and is one of the most useful members of that body. He is Chair- man of the Committee on Ways and Means, and exer- cises a good deal of influence in the House. He was spoken of at the commencement of the session as a can- didate for the Speakership, but another member was designated by the caucus. The failure of both of the caucus nominees, produced a state of things that would have elevated him to the Chair, had he desired it, as he was the second nominee of his party for the place and as it was understood that many of his political opponents would have voted for him, but he declined the honor, and submitted to, and aided in, the election of Mr. Callicot. This, however, it is well understood, was a measure of policy, rather than of choice, on the part of Republicans ; and was, probably, the best thing they could do under the circumstances.
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Mr. Depew is a very valuable member, assiduous and earnest in the discharge of his duties, and possessing the entire confidence of his fellow members. He is, in fine, a rising man, and is worthy the public confidence. He is yet unmarried, and belongs to the Old School Presbyterian Church.
LANSON DEWEY.
MR. DEWEY is a native of the town of Vernon, Oneida county, N. Y., and is fifty-seven years of age. His pa- rents were originally residents of Connecticut, and set- tled in the State of New York many years ago.
Mr. Dewey received a pretty good education, and was reared on a farm. Since beginning active life he has passed most of his time in agricultural pursuits, and has generally been successful. He has held the office of Supervisor some four years in Ontario county, where he now resides, besides various other unimportant town offices, and has always been found faithful and conscien- tious in the discharge of his duties. In politics, he was originally a Whig, and was one among the first to en- gage in the Republican movement at the organization of that party. Although a quiet, gentlemanly man, never attempting, like some of his legislative compeers, what he is wholly incapable of performing, he is never- theless a capable representative, and deserves well at the hands of his constituents.
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Mr. Dewey is a widower, and stands deservedly high in all the social relations of private life.
WILLIAM DEWEY.
MR. DEWEY is a native of the city of Albany. His father, Timothy Dewey, was a native of New Hampshire, and a distinguished civil engineer thirty years ago, and erected the first gas-light works in this State, having visited Europe to study their construction and operation. The grandfather of Mr. Dewey was a soldier in the Revolu -. tionary War, and was at the battle of Bunker Hill, and also served in the expedition to Canada in 1776. He died in Vermont in 1853, aged 97 years. Mr. Dewey's father died the same year, aged 70 years. His mother was Syl- via Canfield, a native of Salisbury, Connecticut, and died in the city of New York in 1834.
Mr. Dewey's parents removed from Albany to the city of New York when he was six years old. He received a liberal education, and was fitted for the profession of civil engineering. He was appointed a City Surveyor by the then Mayor, Cornelius W. Lawrence, and the Common Council. One of his first employments was to assist his father in making some surveys and levels, having reference to supplying the city of New York with pure and whole- some water. He superintended the construction of the reservoir and water works in the city of Poughkeepsie, and made various surveys in New York and vicinity. In 1836 he was employed by Benjamin Wright, formerly Chief
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Engineer of this State, to make surveys of the village of Pulaski, and the water power on the Salmon river, in the county of Oswego. This property had originally all be- longed to Judge Wright, and as many village lots had been sold, at various periods, the accuracy of a City Sur- veyor was required to reconcile disputed lines.
While engaged in this labor, Mr. Dewey was employed by the Watertown and Rome Railroad Company, to survey a route for the proposed road from Rome, in Oneida county, to Watertown, in Jefferson county. These surveys, esti- mates and report, were submitted in the fall of 1836, when he was employed by the Watertown and Cape Vincent Railroad Company, to extend the surveys to the River St. Lawrence. While making this survey to the river, Mr. Dewey bought a tract of wild land, very heavily timbered, of a fertile soil, but requiring extensive drainage. The financial reverses of 1837 prevented the railroads from being prosecuted at that time, and in the fall of that year he began improvements on his purchase; and since that time, excepting from the spring of 1844 to the spring of 1848, he has resided on the tract, which now is a beautiful farm of about one thousand acres. During the four years, just named, Mr. Dewey studied law with Hon. Joseph Mullin, and was admitted as an Attorney and Counsellor, and holds a diploma, signed by Hon. Greene C. Bronson. He paid some attention to politics, and took part with the Whig party in the presidential campaigns of 1844 and 1848. But neither law nor politics took precedence of a project he had conceived to resuscitate the long dormant railroad feeling of 1836. He devoted a large part of his time, during this period, to writing and talking in favor of
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the almost forgotten road ; and, with other ardent co- workers, he had the pleasure of seeing the company re- organized, the work on the construction began in 1848, and the road soon completed from Rome to Cape Vincent, a distance of 100 miles. This road passes through the Ashland Farm, the name given to his tract by Mr. Dewey, who was always an admirer of Henry Clay, of Ashland. Mr. Dewey has been a very moderate politician since the breaking up of the Whig party. In his own town he has held the office of School Commissioner and Supervisor. Some years ago, he was associated with several distinguished engineers and lawyers, by the Legislature of the State, on a commission to establish the route of the New York and Erie Railroad, at some disputed points. In 1854, he served as a Member of the Assembly from Jefferson county, having been put in nomination, by a mass meeting, against the regular party candidates. He was subsequently nominated by Democrats for the State Senate. In the fall of 1861, he was nominated and elected to the Legislature, having received the support of all parties. During his residence in Jefferson county, Mr. D. has occasionally practised at his profession of engineering, but has paid little attention to the legal profession. The superintendence of his large farm occupies most of his time. He was elected for the third time to the Legislature, in the fall of 1862. At this last election he was the candidate of the Union party for the Assembly, and took an active part in raising volunteers for the war during the summer of 1862.
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ALBERT G. DOW.
MR. Dow is not a brilliant man, possessing neither the ability nor the inclination to make a speech, but he is what is doubtless far better as a legislator-an earnest and consistent worker, attending closely to an honest discharge of his duties as a representative. Unlike many of his associates upon the floor of the House he is never found standing about in the cloak rooms and ante-chamber waiting, Micawber-like, for something to turn up, but is always at his post, watching with com- mendable solicitude the interests of his constituents and the general welfare of the State.
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