The 4th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from September 7, 1780, to July 1, 1781, during the fourth year of George Clinton's governorship, first at Poughkeepsie, then at Albany, and finally at Poughkeepsie again.
Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, the State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the election in April 1778, every year six Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.
On May 8, 1777, the Constitutional Convention had appointed the senators from the Southern District, and the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties—the area which was under British control—and determined that these appointees serve in the Legislature until elections could be held in those areas, presumably after the end of the American Revolutionary War. Vacancies among the appointed members in the Senate should be filled by the Assembly, and vacancies in the Assembly by the Senate.
Elections The State elections were held from April 25 to 27, 1780. Gov. George Clinton and Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt were re-elected. Under the determination by the Constitutional Convention, the senators William Floyd, William Smith and Isaac Stoutenburgh, whose seats were up for election, continued in office, as well as the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties. Arthur Parks (Middle D.) was re-elected. Philip Schuyler was elected in the Western District. Assemblyman Elkanah Day, from Cumberland County, which had seceded from New York to become a part of the Vermont Republic, was elected in the Eastern District.Elkanah Day was a "Yorker", a member of the faction who opposed the Vermont government and advocated the seceded counties' remaining in the State of New York. See History of Eastern Vermont by Benjamin Homer Hall (Chapter XIII: Conflict of Jurisdictions, pages 332ff; and Civil list appendix, page 768)
Sessions
The State Legislature met first in Poughkeepsie, the seat of Dutchess County, on September 7, 1780, and adjourned on October 10. The Legislature reconvened at the Old City Hall in Albany, the seat of Albany County, on January 17, 1781, and adjourned on March 31. The Legislature reconvened again in Poughkeepsie, the Senate on June 15, the Assembly on June 18, and adjourned finally on July 1.
State Senate Districts The Southern District (9 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties. The Middle District (6 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties. The Eastern District (3 seats) consisted of Charlotte, Cumberland and Gloucester counties. The Western District (6 seats) consisted of Albany and Tryon counties.
Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties. In 1784, Charlotte Co. was renamed Washington Co., and Tryon Co. was renamed Montgomery Co.
Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Elkanah Day changed from the Assembly to the Senate, but never took his seat.
District Senators Term left Notes SouthernSir James Jay*1 yearappointed by State AssemblyIsaac Roosevelt*2 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionJohn Morin Scott*2 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention; also Secretary of State of New YorkJonathan Lawrence*3 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionLewis Morris*3 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionStephen Ward*3 yearsappointed by State Assembly; elected to the Council of AppointmentWilliam Floyd*4 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionWilliam Smith*4 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionIsaac Stoutenburgh*4 yearsholding over on appointment by State Assembly MiddleLevi Pawling*1 yearJesse Woodhull*1 yearHenry Wisner*2 years Ephraim Paine*3 yearselected to the Council of Appointment; expelled on March 15, 1781, for "neglect of duty"Zephaniah Platt*3 yearsArthur Parks*4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment to fill vacancy, in place of Ephraim Paine EasternAlexander Webster* 1 yearEbenezer Russell*2 yearselected to the Council of Appointment(Elkanah Day)*Elkanah Day is not listed among the senators in any session in the Civil List of 1858, which means that he did not attend any session, but it is certain that election returns were filed with the Secretary of State of New York in 1780, since he was elected to the Council of Appointment in 1782; the History of Eastern Vermont by Benjamin Homer Hall (Civil list appendix, page 768) lists him as a New York State Senator and stating "Commencement of Session September 10, 1781"4 yearsdid not attend WesternJellis Fonda*1 yearRinier Mynderse*1 yearJacob G. Klock*2 years Abraham Yates Jr.*2 yearsAbraham Ten Broeck3 yearsalso Mayor of Albany; elected to the Council of AppointmentPhilip Schuyler4 yearsfrom March 30, 1781, also New York State Surveyor General
Employees Clerk: Robert Benson
State Assembly Districts
The City and County of Albany (10 seats) Charlotte County (4 seats) Cumberland County (3 seats) Dutchess County (7 seats) Gloucester County (2 seats) Kings County (2 seats) The City and County of New York (9 seats) Orange County (4 seats) Queens County (4 seats) Richmond County (2 seats) Suffolk County (5 seats) Tryon County (6 seats) Ulster County (6 seats) Westchester County (6 seats)
Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties. In 1784, Charlotte Co. was renamed Washington Co., and Tryon Co. was renamed Montgomery Co.
Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
County Assemblymen Notes AlbanyMatthew AdgateJohn Ja. BeekmanJames Gordon*John Lansing Jr.Peter R. LivingstonDirck SwartJohn TaylerJohn Van Rensselaer Jr.Robert Van RensselaerIsaac Vrooman* CharlotteDavid Hopkins* Hamilton McCollisterMatthew McWhorterIchabod ParkerCumberlandnoneIt is unclear if election returns were filed with the Secretary of State of New York. Nobody claimed the Assembly seats, but Elkanah Day claimed a seat in the Senate; see note for Gloucester County. Dutchess Egbert Benson*also New York State Attorney GeneralEbenezer CarySamuel Dodge*Henry Ludington*Brinton Paine*Guisbert SchenckJacobus SwartwoutGloucesternoneNo election returns from this countyCumberland and Gloucester counties seceded from the Province of New York in January 1777, and became part of the Vermont Republic, while the Constitutional Convention was still debating the new Constitution. The New York Constitution was approved in April 1777, not recognizing the secession. Gloucester Co. did not file any election returns with the Secretary of State of New York in 1779. KingsWilliam Boerum*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionHenry Williams*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention New YorkEvert Bancker*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention; re-elected SpeakerJohn Berrien*holding over on appointment by the State SenateAbraham Brasher*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionDaniel Dunscomb*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionRobert Harpur*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionFrederick Jay*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionAbraham P. Lott*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionJacobus Van Zandt*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionPeter P. Van Zandt*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention Orange Jeremiah ClarkDavid Pye Bezaleel Seely*?John Stagg QueensBenjamin Birdsall*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionBenjamin Coe*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionPhilip Edsall*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionDaniel Lawrence*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention RichmondJoshua Mersereau*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Conventionvacant Suffolk David Gelston*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionEzra L'Hommedieu*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionBurnet Miller*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionThomas Tredwell*holding over on appointment by Constitutional ConventionThomas Wickes*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention Tryon Zephaniah Batchelor Jacob Gardenier*Abraham GarrisonJohn MooreAbraham Van HornePeter Waggoner Jr.* Ulster Robert Boyd Jr.*John Cantine*Cornelius C. Schoonmaker*Nathan Smith*Dirck Wynkoopvacant WestchesterSamuel Drake*Philip Pell*Nathan RockwellJoseph StrangThomas ThomasJonathan G. Tompkins
Employees Clerk: John McKesson
Notes
Sources The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [see pg. 108 for Senate districts; pg. 111 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 159f for assemblymen]