USA > New York > Dutchess County > History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 25
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Duchess was not represented separately in the Colonial Assembly until 1713. Previous to that time when represented at all,f it was connected with Ul- ster county. The first resident representative was Leonard Lewis, who was elected and served in 1713 -'26, being associated in 1715-'17 with Baltus Van Kleeck, who served till his death, and was succeed- ed by Johannis Terbosch, who was admitted May 4, 1717, and served till his death, when Henry Beekman was chosen his successor. The latter was admitted August 31, 1725, and served contin- uously until 1758. Their successors were Johan- nis Van Kleeck, 1726-'37; Jacobus Ter Boss, 1737- '43 ; Johannis Tappen, 1743-'51 ; Henry Filkin,
* Since 1857, Amenia, Beekman, Dover, East Fishkill, Fishkill, La Grange, North East, Pawling, Pine Plains, Stanford, Union Vale, Wap- pinger, (frem 1875,) and Washington, have formed the First Assembly District ; and Clinton, Hyde Park, Milan, Pleasant Valley, Poughkeep- sie, City of Poughkeepsie, Red Hook and Rhinebeck the Second.
t It would appear from Smith's History of New York (page 162, Ed. 1814, ) that for some years at least previous to 1713, Duchess was not rep- resented.
124
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
1752-'58 ; Robert R. and Henry Livingston, 1759 -'68; Leonard Van Kleeck and Dirck Brinckerhoff, 1768-'75.
Her deputies to the Provincial Congress were : Dirck Brinckerhoff, Anthony Hoffman, Zephaniah Platt, Richard Montgomery, Ephraim Paine, Gil- bert Livingston, Jonathan Landon, Guisbert Schenck, Melancton Smith and Nathaniel Sackett in 1775 ; Petrus Ten Broeck, Beverly Robinson, Cornelius Humphreys, Henry Schenck, Gilbert Livingston, John Kaine, Jacob Everson, Morris Graham, and Robert G. Livingston in 1775-'76; Robert R. Livingston, James Livingston, Gilbert Livingston, Jonathan Landon, Morris Graham, Henry Schenck, Theodorus Van Wyck, John Schenck, Anthony Hoffman, Paul Schenck, Na- thaniel Sackett, Cornelius Humphreys, Zephaniah Platt, James Vanderburgh, Benjamin Delavergne and John Field in 1776; Zephaniah Platt, Na- thaniel Sackett, Gilbert Livingston, Doctor Crane, Henry Schenck, James Livingston, John Schenck, Anthony Hoffman, Robert R. Livingston and Jonathan Landon in 1776-'77.
Her Members of Assembly have been: Egbert Benson, 1777-781, 1788; Dirck Brinckerhoff, 1777-'80, 1781, 1784-'87 ; Anthony Hoffman, 1777-'79. 1784 ; Gilbert Livingston, 1777,-'78, 1788-'89 ; Andrew Moorhouse, 1777-'79 ; John Schenck, 1777-'79; Jacobus Swartwout, 1777-'79, 1780-'83 ; Joseph Crane, Jr., 1778-'79, 1789-'90, 1796-'97; Samuel Dodge, 1778-'81 ; Annanias Cooper, 1779-'80 ; Henry Ludenton, 1779-'81, 1786-'87 ; Brinton Paine, 1779-'81, 1785-'87 ; Na- thaniel Sackett, 1779-'80 ; Ebenezer Cary, 1780- '81, 1784-'85; Guisbert Schenck, 1780-81 ; Jona- than Dennis, 1781-'84; Cornelius Humfrey, 1781- '85 ; Ebenezer Husted, 1781-'84, 1789-90 ; Abra- ham Paine, 1781-'82 ; Thomas Storm, 1781-'84; Benjamin Birdsall, 1782-'83 ; Matthew Patterson, 1782-'89, 1792-'93; Abraham Brinckerhoff, 1784- '85 ; James Tallmadge, 1784-'85, 1791-'92, 1824 ; John DeWitt, 1786, 1788-'89, 1794; Lewis Duboys, 1786-'87 ; Jacob Griffin, 1786-'87, 1788-'89 ; John DeWitt, Jr., 1787-'88; Isaac Bloom, 1788-'92 ; Peter Cantine, Jr., 1788 ; Morris Graham, 1788; Thomas Tillotson, 1788, 1789-90 ; Jonathan Akin, 1788- '89, 1791-'93, 1841; Samuel A. Barker, 1788-'92, 1794-'95, 1796-'97, 1808-'89, 1811; Isaac J. Tal- man, 1789-'90 ; James Kent, 1791, 1792-'93 ; Henry Schenck, 1791; David VanNess, 1791; Daniel Graham, 1792; Morgan Lewis, 1792; Josiah Holly, 1792-'93 ; Ebenezer Mott, 1792-'93, 1798- 1801; Barnabas Payen, 1792-'93 ; Wm. Radclift,
1792-'93 ; Jacob Bockee, 1794-'95, 1796-'97 ; David Brooks, 1794-'96, 1810; Jesse Oakley, 1794-'97; Isaac Van Wyck, 1794-'96, 1810-'11 ; Jacob Smith, 1795-'98 ; Richard Davis, 1796-'97, Solomon Sutherland, 1796; Jesse Thomp- son, 1796-'98, 1808-'09, 1814-'19 ; William Pearce, 1796-'97, 1798-'99 ; William
B. Verplanck, 1796-'98; William Wheeler, 1796-'97 ; William Barker, 1798, 1800 ; Lemuel Clift, 1798-'99, 1810- '11 ; Luther Holly, 1798 ; Joseph Potter, 1798, 1814; Philip J. Schuyler, 1798; John Thomas, 1798 ; Samuel Towner, 1798, 1800; Abraham Adriance, 1798-1802; Henry Dodge, 1798-'99, 1812-'13 ; Robert Johnston, 1798-1801; Platt Smith, 1798-'99; Jonathan Soule, 1798-'99 ; Will- iam Taber, 1798-1800, 1804; John Van Benthuy- sen, 1798-1800, 1804-'06; William Emott, 1800; Joseph C. Field, 1800, 1803, 1806; Isaac Sher- wood, 1800-1801, 1804-'05 ; Benjamin Akin, 1800- 1802 ; Elisha Barlow, 1800-1802 ; Nicholas H. Emigh, 1800-1802 ; Zalmon Sanford, 1800-1804; Smith Thompson, 1800-1801 ; John M. Thurston, 1800-1802, 1804-'05 ; Theodorus Bailey, 1802 ; Harry Garrison, 1802 ; Alexander Spencer, 1802; John Thompson, 1802 ; John Jewett, 1803 ; John Martin, 1803-'04; Thomas Mitchell, 1803-'04; Philip Spencer, Jr., 1803 ; Theodorus R. Van- Wyck, 1803-'04; James Winchell, 1803; Joseph E. Hoff, 1804; Benajah Thompson, 1804, 1808- '09 ; Job Crawford, 1804-'05; Isaac Hunting, 1804-'05 ; John Patterson, 1804-'05 ; Abraham H. Schenck, 1804-'06 ; Barnabas Carver, 1806; Ben- jamin Herrick, 1806; William D. Williams, 1806; Veniah Wooley, 1806-'07 ; John Haight, 1807-'08; Aaron Hazen, 1807; Theron Rudd, 1807; John Storm, 1807 ; Tobias L. Stoutenburgh, 1807-'08 ; Martin E. Winchel, 1807-08 ; Albro Akin, 1808, 1820-'21 ; Devoue Bailey, 1808; George Casey and Cyrenus Crosby, 1808; George Bloom and Derick A. Brinckerhoff, 1808-'09; Ebenezer Haight, 1808-'10; Coert Dubois, 1810-'11; Alexander Neely, 1810-'11; Shadrach Sher- man, 1811; Joseph Arnold, Cyrus Benjamin, Isaac Bryan and John Warren, 1812-'13 ; Robert Weeks, 1812 ; John Beadle, 1812-'13, 1814-'15, 1819 ; William A. Duer, 1814-'17 ; James Emott,* 1814-'15, 1816-'17 ; Samuel Mott, 1814; Joel Benton, 1814-'15, 1816-'17, 1831 ; James Grant, 1814-'15 ; Zachariah Hoffman, 1816; Thomas J. Oakley, 1816, 1818-'20; Isaac Smith, 1816; John B. VanWyck, 1816; Nathaniel Pendleton and Abiel Sherman, 1816-'17 ; Benjamin Haxton,
* James Emott was Speaker of the Assembly in 1814.
125
CIVIL LIST-MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY, FIRST AND COUNTY JUDGES.
Andrew Pray and Jehiel Sackett, 1818; John W. Wheeler, 1818-'20; James Ketchum and David Tomlinson, 1819; Abraham Bockee, Jacob Doughty and Mathew Mesier, 1820 ; Benjamin H. Conklin, Coert Dubois, Israel Harris and Joseph I. Jack- son, 1820-'21 ; John Cox, Daniel Northrup, Philo Ruggles, Benjamin Sherman and George Vanden- burgh, 1822; Wheeler Gilbert, Prince Hoag, Peter R. Livingston * and Samuel M. Thurston, 1823 ; John Klapp and Alfred S. Pell, 1824 ; Gil- bert Thorne, 1824-'25 ; Eli Angevine, John Arm- strong, Jr., and Enos Hopkins, 1825 ; Isaac R. Adriance, Martin Lawrence and Thomas Tabor, 2d., 1826 ; Daniel D. Akin, 1826, 1833 ; Egbert Cary, Jacob C. Elmendorf, Samuel B. Halsey and Henry A. Livingston, 1827; Taber Belding, 1828, 1837 ; Francis A. Livingston, George W. Slocum and Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, 1828; Elijah Baker, Jr., Tobias Teller and Stephen D. VanWyck, 1829 ; Stoddard Judd, 1829, 1835-'36; James Hughson, George P. Oakley, Jacob VanNess and Philo M. Winchell, 1830; Samuel B. Halsey, William Hooker and John E. Townsend, 1831; Robert Coffin, Eli Hamblin, Michael S. Martin and Israel Shadbolt, 1832; Joel Brown and Geo. Lambert, 1833 ; Henry Conklin, 1833-'34, 1839- '40 ; Theodore V. W. Anthony, 1834-'35 ; Wm. H. Bostwick, 1834, 1854 ; James Mabbett, 1834; David Barnes, Jr., and Stephen Thorn, 1835 ; Abijah G. Benedict, Cornelius H. Cornell and William Eno, 1836 ; John R. Myer and David Sheldon, 1837 ; Cornelius Dubois, 1838; Freeborn Garretson, 1838, 1845 ; Jacob Sisson, 1838-'39 ; Daniel Toffey, 1839-'40 ; Amos Bryan, 1840; Edmund Elmendorf and John Thompson, 1841 ; Peter K. Dubois and Richard C. VanWyck, 1842 ; John H. Ketcham, 1842-'43, 1856-'57; Gilbert Bentley and John Elseffer, 1843 ; Alexander H. Coffin, John K. Mead and Ambrose L. Pinney, 1844; Epenetus Crosby and Walter Sherman, 1845, 1847 ; Elnathan Haxton, George T. Pierce and Daniel Sherwood, 1846 ; Aves I. Vanderbilt, 1847 ; Edgar Vincent and James Hammond, 1848- '49 ; David Collins, Jr., 1848; Wesley Butts, 1849 ; Charles Robinson, 1850-'51 ; Minor C. Story and Stephen Haight, 1850; Howland R. Sherman and William H. Feller, 1851 ; John S. Emans and Augustus Martin, 1852-'53 ; John M. Keese, 1852 ; James H. Weeks, 1853 ; Peter P. Monfoort and George W. Sterling, 1854; Albert Emans and Ambrose Wager, 1855, 1858; Joseph F. Allen, 1855 ; Daniel O. Ward, 1856; Jacob B.
Carpenter, 1856, 1873; Franklin Dudley and Cornelius N. Campbell, 1857 ; James Mackin, 1859, 1873-'75; Samuel J. Farnum, 1859, 1861 ; Richard J. Garrettson, 1860; Abiah W. Palmer, 1860, 1866 ; John B. Dutcher, 1861-'62 ; Edmund Green, 1862; Luther S. Dutcher and Joseph C. Doughty, 1863 ; John N. Cramer, 1864; James Howard, 1864-'65 ; Mark D. Wilber, 1865-'67 ; Augustus A. Brush, 1867-'68 ; Alfred T. Ackert, 1868; David R. Gould and William W. Hege- man, 1869 ; James A. Seward and David H. Mulford, 1870-'71; Edward M. Goring, 1872 ;* Harvey G. Eastman, 1872, 1874; Benjamin S. Broas, 1875; Thomas Hammond and De- Witt Webb, 1876-'77 ; Obed Wheeler, 1878-'79; Peter Hulme, 1878; Cornelius Pitcher, 1879; Isaac S. Carpenter, 1879-'80 ; James E. Dutcher, 1880.
First and County Judges .- The Court of Com- mon Pleas was continued from the colonial period. For most of the time under the First Constitution the number of Judges and Assistant Justices in the several counties differed, reaching, in some counties, as many as twelve of each. March 27, 1818, the office of Assistant Justice was abolished, and the number of Judges limited to five, includ- ing the First Judge. The Judges were appointed by the Governor and Senate for a period of five years. The constitution of 1846 provided for the election of a County Judge for each county, except the city and county of New York, and the new judiciary article extended the tenure of office from four to six years, upon the election of the succes- sors of the present incumbents.
The First Judges of Duchess county were : Leonard Lewis, appointed in 1716 ; Jacobus Ter- boss, Nov. 24, 1739 ; Martinus Hoffman, Dec. 30, 1749 ; Jacobus Terboss, May 6, 1755; Beverly Robinson, May 4, 1769 ; Ephraim Paine, Jan. 30, 1778 ;¡ Zephaniah Platt, June 28, 1781 ; David Brooks, Nov. 24, 1795 ; John Johnston, June 5, 1807 ; James Emrott, April 8, 1817; Maturin Liv- ingston, Feb. 3, 1823 ; Daniel C. Verplanck, March 11, 1828 ; Edmund H. Pendleton, Jan. 16, 1830; Joseph I. Jackson, Jan. 20, 1840; Seward Barculo, March 5, 1845 ; Abraham Bockee, April 8, 1846 ; John Rowley, May 12, 1846. The County Judges, since the office was made elective, have been: John Rowley, 1847;} Egbert Q. Eldridge, 1851 ; Homer A. Nelson, 1855 ;$ Charles
* Edward M. Goring was Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly in 1873. t Resigned Jan. 30, 1781.
# Rowley was elected in June ; those who succeeded him, in November. § Resigned Nov. 27, 1863.
* Peter R. Livingston was Speaker of the Assembly in 1823.
I26
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Wheaton, 1863 ; * Allard Anthony, 1867 ; Henry M. Taylor, 1871 ; B. Platt Carpenter, 1877.
Surrogates .- Previous to 1821, Surrogates were designated by the Council of Appointment ; from 1821 to 1846, by the Governor and the Senate. The constitution of 1846 abolished the office and devolved its duties on County Judges, except in counties having a population exceeding 40,000, in which it was made elective. This office has been held successively by Gilbert Livingston, appointed June 16, 1778; Anthony Hoffman, March 28, 1785 ; Gilbert Livingston, March 13, 1787 ; James Tallmadge, Jr., Nov. 9, 1804; Thomas J. Oakley, Feb. 9, 1810; George Bloom, March 11, 1811 ; Philo Ruggles, March 19, 1813 ; Derrick B. Stock- holm, Feb. 16, 1815 ; John Brush, July 9, 1819; Ebenezer Nye, March 1, 1821; James Hooker, March 7, 1828 ; Robert Wilkinson, Feb. 10, 1840; Virgil D. Bonesteel, Feb. 10, 1844 ; John P. H. Tallman, 1847 ;t Edgar Thorn, 1855; Peter Dor- land, 1859 ; Milton A. Fowler, 1867 ; Peter Dor- land, 1871; Collins Sheldon, 1877.
District Attorneys .- The original appellation of this office, which was created Feb. 12, 1796, was that of Assistant Attorney-General, who was ap- pointed by the Governor and Council. The office of District Attorney was created April 4, 1801. At first the State was divided into seven districts, but subsequently several new ones were formed. In April, 1818, each county was constituted a sep- arate district. The office was made elective by the Constitution of 1846. During the period of the district system Duchess belonged to the second district, which also included the counties of Orange and Ulster under the act of 1796, and Delaware, Rockland and Ulster under that of 1801. Duchess first filled the office, Jacob Radcliff being appointed Feb. 23, 1796. He was succeeded Jan. 27, 1798, by Coenrad E. Elmendorph, an Ulster county man, who held the office until the act of 1801 took effect, and for a short time during its operation. August 19, 1801, Smith Thompson, of Duchess, succeeded to the office, and was in his turn succeeded by Lucas Elmendorf, of Ulster, Oct. 28, 1801, Randall S. Street, of Poughkeepsie, Feb. 9, 1810, Samuel Hawkins, of Ulster, Feb. 15, 18II, Randall S. Street, of Poughkeepsie, March 19, 1813, and George Bloom, of Duchess, Feb. 13, 1815. The latter was reappointed June 11, 1818, and has been succeeded under the new regime of that year by Philo Ruggles, appointed July 8, 1819 ;
Francis A. Livingston, Feb. 14, 1821; Stephen Cleveland, 1826(?); George A. Shufeldt, 1836 (?); E. M. Swift, 1843 (?) ; William Eno, 1845 (?) ; Joseph T. Lee, June, 1847; James Emott, Jr., Feb. 3, 1849 ;* Thomas C. Campbell, 1849 ;t Silas Woodell, 1855 ; Benjamin Platt Carpenter, 1858 ;} Alfred Antho- ny, Dec. 15, 1860 ;§ William J. Thorn, 1867 ; Tristram Coffin, 1870; James L. Williams, 1873 ; William B. Woodin, 1876, re-elected in 1879.
Sheriffs .- Under the Colonial Government, Sheriffs were appointed annually, in the month of October, unless otherwise noticed. Under the First Constitution, (1777-1821,) they were ap- pointed annually by the Council of Appointment, and no person could hold the office for more than four successive years. The Sheriff could not hold any other office, and must be a free-holder in the county to which he was appointed. Under the Second Constitution, (1821 to 1846,) Sheriffs were elected for a term of three years, but were inelig- ible to election for the next succeeding term. These provisions are operative at the present time.
The Sheriff was once an officer held in great re- spect. He arranged all the ceremonials of the court, and formally announced to the judges the particular hour the court-room was in order for their reception. He was equipped with side arms, and kept his sword unsheathed on the desk in front of his seat. He, with his deputies, formally in- ducted the Judges from their lodgings to the court- room ; the jurors closed the procession. He opened the court with solemn proclamation. In every respect the office of Sheriff was once of more import in the public estimation than now. |
Until 1721, Duchess was united with Ulster county in the functions of this office. The first Sheriff of Duchess county was J. van de Voert, who was appointed in October, 1721. TT His successors have been: William Squire, appointed in 1731 ; James Willson, 1737 ; Henry Filkin, 1743 ; Will- iam Barnes, 1748 ; Isaac Brinckerhoff, 1749 ; Clear Everit, 1754 ; James G. Livingston, 1761 ; Hen- ry Rosekrans, Jr., 1769; Philip J. Livingston, 1772; Melancton Smith, May 8, 1777, and Jan. 6, 1778, the first time appointed by the Provincial Conven- tion ; Lewis Dubois, March 22, 1781; Harmon Hoffman, March 9, 1785 ; John DeWitt, Feb. 28,
* Appointed Nov. 27, 1863, vice Nelson resigned.
t Tallmar. was elected in June ; those who succeeded him, in Novem- ber.
* Appointed vice Lee, deceased.
t Campbell and his successors were elected in November.
# Resigned.
§ Appointed vice Carpenter, resigned ; elected in 1861 and '64. Il Clark's History of Chenango County.
TJ. van de Voert's successors during the Colonial period were appointed in October.
127
CIVIL LIST-COUNTY CLERKS, TREASURERS, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
1789 ; John VanBenthuysen, Feb. 18, 1793 ; John Dewitt, Feb. 21, 1794 ; William Radcliff, Feb. 7, 1797 ; Robert Williams, Feb. 18, 1801 ; Joseph Thorn, Feb. 23, 1805 ; John VanBenthuy- sen, March 5, 1807; Joseph C. Field, Nov. 12, 1808; John VanBenthuysen, Feb. 9, 1810; Joseph C. Field, Feb. 15, 1811 ; Derick A. Brinckerhoff, Feb. 4, 1812 ; John Radcliff, March 19, 1813 ; William Griffin, April 8, 1817 ; Gilbert Ketchum, Feb. 9, 1819 ; Richard C. Van Wyck, July, 1819 ; William Griffin, Feb. 12, 1821 and elected in No- vember, 1822 ;* John A. Wood, 1825 ; Obadiah Titus, 1828 ; Abraham Myers. 1831 ; Thomas N. Perry, 1834 ; Stephen D. Van Wyck, 1837 ; Thomas N. Perry, 1840 ; Alonzo H. Mory, 1843 ; David N. Seaman, 1846 ; Alonzo H. Mory, 1849 ; Henry Rikert, 1852 ; Moses C. Sands, 1855 ; James Hammond, 1858 ; Judah Swift, 1861 ; George Lamoree, 1864; Richard Kenworthy, 1867 ; Cornelius Pitcher, 1870 ; John G. Hal- stead, 1873 ; David Warner, 1876 ;; James E. Dutcher, 1876 ; Sylvester H. Mase, 1879.
County Clerks .- During the colonial period the County Clerk was constituted by his commission, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, Clerk of the Peace and Clerk of the Sessions of the Peace in his county. Under the First Constitution it was his duty to keep the county records, and act as Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, and Clerk of the Oyer and Terminer from Feb. 12, 1796. His seals were the seals of the Court of Common Pleas. County Clerks are now likewise Clerks of the Supreme Court in their respective counties, and their seals are declared to be the seals of the court. The term of office, since the adoption of the Constitution of 1821, has been three years.
The office in this county has been filled succes- sively by Richard Sackett, appointed in 1715; Henry Vanderburgh, 1721; Henry Livingston, Sept. 15, 1742, and May 8, 1777 ; Robert Henry Livingston, May 11, 1789 ; Gilbert Livingston, Nov. 9, 1804 ; David Brooks, June 5, 1807 ; Philip Spencer, Jr., Jan. 26, 1809 ; David Brooks, Feb. 9, 1810; Philip Spencer, Jr., Feb. 15, 1811 ; David Brooks, Feb. 23, 1813 ; Philip Spencer, Feb. 13, 1815; Jacob Van Ness, July 1, 1815; John Van Benthuysen, March 2, 1819 ; John Johnston, Feb- ruary 4, 1820 ; Jacob Van Ness, Feb. 14, 1821, and elected in November, 1822 ;} Clapp Raymond, 1825 ; Henry S. Traver, 1828 ; Daniel W. Beadle,
1837 ; Robert Mitchell, 1840; Joseph T. Adriance, 1846; George H. Tompkins, 1852; Wilson B. Sheldon, 1858; Edgar Vincent, 1864; John W. Vincent, 1870 ; Andrew C. Warren, 1873 ; William A. Fanning, 1876 ; Wilson B. Sheldon, 1879.
County Treasurers are elected under the Consti- tution of 1846, for a term of three years. They were previously elected by the Boards of Supervis- ors in the several counties. The incumbents of the office in this county, all of whom were elected in November, have been: Albert Van Kleeck, 1848; Leonard B. Sackett, 1851 ; James H. Sea- man, 1854 ; John F. Hull, 1860 ; Joseph C. Harris, 1866 ; Walter S. Fonda, 1869; Frederick W. Davis, 1875 ; Seneca V. Halloway, 1878.
County Superintendents of Common Schools .- April 17, 1843, the Boards of Supervisors were directed to appoint Superintendents of Common Schools, and Augustus R. McCord and Henry H. Ingraham were accordingly so appointed for the Northern District in Duchess county, and Asa S. Clement and Levi S. Arnold, for the Southern Dis- trict. The office was abolished March 13, 1847.
School Commissioners .- Prior to 1857, School Commissioners were appointed by the Board of Supervisors. In 1856 the office was made elective ; and the first election under that act was held in November, 1859. The office has been held in Duchess county by the following named persons : John W. Vincent, John S. Thorn, Augustus A. Brush, George W. Draper, Derrick Brown, George W. Draper, John F. Schlosser, in the First Dis- trict ; John Dearin, Charles J. Howland, Wright D. Lattin, Sherman Hoyt, Isaac F. Collins, Edgar A. Briggs and Martin W. Collins, in the Second District ; William Berry and E. J. Buckingham, Presidents of the Board of Education ; G. C. Burnap, City Superintendent; Richard Brittan and C. H. Andrews, Clerks of the Board of Edu- cation ; and Edward Burgess, City Superintendent, in Poughkeepsie.
Presidential Electors .- The Federal Constitu- tion provides that the President and Vice-Presi- dent of the United States shall be chosen by Electors appointed in such manner as the Legis- latures of the respective States shall direct, the number to be equal to the number of their Senators and Representatives in Congress. In this State the Electors were originally appointed by the Legislature, pursuant to an act passed April 12, 1792. March 15, 1825, the Legislature submitted to the people the question of choosing electors by districts, or on a general ticket, and it
* Griffin's successors were elected in November.
+ Appointed March 7, 1876, vice Halstead, deceased.
# The successors of Van Ness were elected in November.
I28
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
was decided by a small majority in favor of the former. The system thus adopted, however, was in vogue at one election only ; for April 15, 1829, the Legislature adopted the general ticket system now in use. The Electors must be appointed with- in thirty-four days before the first Wednesday of December, in every fourth year ; and in this State, as, indeed, in all the States, they are now chosen on the Tuesday after the first Monday of Novem- ber. In making up the general ticket, one person is selected from each Congressional district, and two to represent the State at large. The Electoral College is required to meet at the State capitol on the first Wednesday of December, cast their votes for President and Vice-President, make a certified list thereof, and forward it under seal to the Presi- dent of the United States Senate, who opens and announces the result in the presence of the two houses of Congress.
Duchess county has been represented in the Electoral College as follows :- David VanNess, 1792 ; Peter Cantine, Jr., 1796; Gilbert Livings- ton, 1800; Ezra Thompson, 1804; James Tall- madge, 1808; David VanNess, 1812 ; Theodorus W. Van Wyck, 1816; Isaac Sutherland, 1824; Morgan Lewis, 1828; William Taber, 1832 ; James Hooker, 1836 ; Bartow White, 1840 ; John C. Cruger, 1848; Jacob B. Carpenter, 1860 .*
Senators and Representatives in Congress .- Duchess county has undergone several changes in its Congressional associations. The State Legis- lature chooses two Senators to the Federal Con- gress, who hold their office for six years. A Sena- tor must be an inhabitant of the State from which he is chosen. He must have been nine years a citi- zen of the United States, and attained the age of thirty-five years. The House of Representatives is composed of members elected by districts. Rep- resentatives hold office for two years. They must. reside in the State which they are chosen to repre- sent, must have been seven years citizens of the United States, and have attained the age of twen- ty-five years. After each United States census, which is taken every ten years, Congress apportions the Representatives among the several States. Un- der the act of Jan. 27, 1789, Duchess was united with the towns of Salem, North Salem, Cortlandt, Yorktown and Stephentown in Westchester county, in forming a Congressional district. Under the acts of December 18, 1792, March 23, 1797, March 30, 1802, March 20, 1804, and March
8, 1808, this county formed a separate district, designated by number under each respective apportionment, (except the first, when the dis- tricts were not numbered,) 5, 6, 6, 4; June 10, 1812, this county, (except the towns of Clinton and Rhinebeck, which were associated with Col- umbia county, in forming the 5th district,) and Putnam, formed the 4th district; under the acts of April 17, 1822, and June 29, 1832, it again formed a separate district, designated the 5th. September 6, 1842, it was associated with Putnam county in forming the 8th district ; July 19, 1851, and April 23, 1862, in conjunction with Columbia county, it formed the 12th district. June 18, 1873, Colum- bia, Duchess and Putnam counties were consti- tuted the 13th district.
Duchess County has been represented in the United States Senate by John Armstrong, of Rhine- beck, who was appointed November 6, 1800, and at the expiration of his term, March 3, 1801, was (January 27, 1801,) appointed to a full term, but resigned February 5, 1802; Theodorus Bailey, of Poughkeepsie, who was appointed February I, 1803 ; Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, of Poughkeepsie, who was appointed February 5, 1833, and re-ap- pointed January 13, 1840.
John Armstrong was again appointed by the Governor in the recess of the Legislature in De- cember, 1803, and again February 3, 1804, on the resignation of Theodorus Bailey, but the position was each time vacated by the meeting of the Leg- islature, (U. S. Constitution, art. I, sec. 3, II.)
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