The 37th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 25 to April 15, 1814, during the seventh year of Daniel D. Tompkins's governorship, in Albany.
Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, amended by the Constitutional Convention of 1801, 32 Senators were elected on general tickets in the four senatorial districts for four-year terms. They were divided into four classes, and every year eight Senate seats came up for election. Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole Assembly being renewed annually.
In 1797, Albany was declared the State capital, and all subsequent Legislatures have been meeting there ever since. In 1799, the Legislature enacted that future Legislatures meet on the last Tuesday of January of each year unless called earlier by the governor.
In 1812, Putnam County was split from Dutchess County, and in 1813 was apportioned 1 seat in the Assembly, taken from Dutchess. In 1813, Warren County was split from Washington County, but both remained together in one Assembly district.
On February 4, 1813, a caucus of 48 Democratic-Republican legislators nominated unanimously Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins for re-election. State Senator John Tayler was nominated for Lieutenant Governor with 32 votes against 16 for the incumbent DeWitt Clinton.
On February 11, 1813, a Federalist caucus, presided over by Egbert Benson, nominated Stephen Van Rensselaer for Governor, and Assemblyman George Huntington for Lieutenant Governor.
At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.The Anti-Federalists called themselves "Republicans." However, at the same time, the Federalists called them "Democrats" which was meant to be pejorative. After some time both terms got more and more confused, and sometimes used together as "Democratic Republicans" which later historians have adopted (with a hyphen) to describe the party from the beginning, to avoid confusion with both the later established and still existing Democratic and Republican parties.
Elections The State election was held from April 27 to 29, 1813. Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins was re-elected; and State Senator John Tayler was elected Lieutenant Governor; both were Democratic-Republicans.
Jonathan Dayton (Southern D.), Lucas Elmendorf, Samuel G. Verbryck (both Middle D.), James Cochran, Samuel Stewart (both Eastern D.), Henry Bloom, Perley Keyes and Farrand Stranahan (all three Western D.) were elected to the Senate. Cochran and Stewart were Federalists, the other six were Democratic-Republicans.
Sessions The Legislature met at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 25, 1814; and adjourned on April 15.
James Emott (Fed.) was elected Speaker with 58 votes against 48 for William Ross (Dem.-Rep.). John F. Bacon (Dem.-Rep.) was elected Clerk of the Senate.
State Senate Districts The Southern District (5 seats) consisted of Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties. The Middle District (7 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Columbia, Delaware, Rockland, Greene, Sullivan and Putnam counties. The Eastern District (8 seats) consisted of Washington, Clinton, Rensselaer, Albany, Saratoga, Essex, Montgomery, Franklin, Schenectady and Warren counties. The Western District (12 seats) consisted of Herkimer, Ontario, Otsego, Tioga, Onondaga, Schoharie, Steuben, Chenango, Oneida, Cayuga, Genesee, Seneca, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Allegany, Broome, Madison, Niagara, Cortland, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua 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.
Members The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.
District Senators Term left Party Notes SouthernEbenezer White*1 year Dem.-Rep.Nathan Sanford*2 years Dem.-Rep.also United States Attorney for the District of New YorkElbert H. Jones*3 years Federalistelected to the Council of AppointmentPeter W. Radcliff*3 years FederalistJonathan Dayton4 years Dem.-Rep. MiddleMorgan Lewis*1 year Dem.-Rep.elected to the Council of AppointmentJames W. Wilkin*1 year Dem.-Rep.Erastus Root*2 years Dem.-Rep.William Taber*2 years Dem.-Rep.Martin Van Buren*3 years Dem.-Rep.Lucas Elmendorf4 years Dem.-Rep.Samuel G. Verbryck4 years Dem.-Rep. EasternHenry Yates Jr.*Henry Yates (1770–1854), brother of Gov. Joseph C. Yates, see bio in Schenectady History1 year Dem.-Rep.Elisha Arnold*2 years Dem.-Rep.Kitchel Bishop*2 years Dem.-Rep.Ruggles Hubbard*2 years Dem.-Rep.vacant2 yearsJohn Tayler was elected Lieutenant Governor of New YorkGerrit Wendell*3 years FederalistJames Cochran4 years FederalistSamuel Stewart4 years Federalistelected to the Council of Appointment WesternReuben Humphrey*1 year Dem.-Rep.Nathan Smith*Nathan Smith (c. 1769 – 1836), of Fairfield, First Judge of the Herkimer County Court 1814–21; see bio in A History of Herkimer County by Nathaniel S. Benton (pages 357ff)1 year Dem.-Rep.Philetus Swift*1 year Dem.-Rep.Henry A. Townsend*1 year Dem.-Rep.elected to the Council of AppointmentCasper M. Rouse*2 years Dem.-Rep.Russell Attwater*3 years Dem.-Rep.Francis A. Bloodgood*3 years Dem.-Rep.Archibald S. Clarke*3 years Dem.-Rep.Henry Hager*3 years Dem.-Rep.Henry Bloom4 years Dem.-Rep.Perley Keyes4 years Dem.-Rep.Farrand Stranahan4 years Dem.-Rep.
Employees Clerk: John F. Bacon
State Assembly Districts
Albany County (4 seats) Allegany and Steuben counties (1 seat) Broome County (1 seat) Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Niagara counties (1 seat) Cayuga County (3 seats) Chenango County (3 seats) Clinton and Franklin counties (1 seat) Columbia County (4 seats) Cortland County (1 seat) Delaware County (2 seats) Dutchess County (5 seats) Essex County (1 seat) Genesee County (1 seat) Greene County (2 seats) Herkimer County (3 seats) Jefferson County (2 seats) Kings County (1 seat) Lewis County (1 seat) Madison County (3 seats) Montgomery County (5 seats) The City and County of New York (11 seats) Oneida County (5 seats) Onondaga County (2 seats) Ontario County (5 seats) Orange County (4 seats) Otsego County (4 seats) Putnam County (1 seat) Queens County (3 seats) Rensselaer County (4 seats) Richmond County (1 seat) Rockland County (1 seat) St. Lawrence County (1 seat) Saratoga County (4 seats) Schenectady County (2 seats) Schoharie County (2 seats) Seneca County (1 seat) Suffolk County (3 seats) Sullivan and Ulster counties (4 seats) Tioga County (1 seat) Warren and Washington counties (5 seats) Westchester County (3 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.
Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
District Assemblymen Party Notes AlbanyHarmanus Bleecker FederalistJohann Jost Dietz FederalistMoses Smith FederalistJohn L. WinneAllegany and SteubenDaniel Cruger Dem.-Rep.BroomeJohn H. AveryCattaraugus, Chautauqua and NiagaraJonas Williams* Dem.-Rep. CayugaWilliam C. Bennet* Dem.-Rep.Silas BowkerWilliam Satterlee* Dem.-Rep. ChenangoJames HoughtelingJohn Noyes Dem.-Rep.Hascall RansfordClinton and FranklinAllen R. Moore* Federalist ColumbiaHenry RockefellerJohn L. Van Alen Jr.Jacob R. Van Rensselaer* Federalistalso Secretary of State of New YorkElisha Williams* FederalistCortlandWilliam Mallery Dem.-Rep. DelawareJohn T. MoreIsaac Ogden Dem.-Rep. DutchessWilliam Alexander Duer FederalistJames Emott Federalistelected SpeakerSamuel Mott FederalistJoseph Potter FederalistJesse Thompson FederalistEssexLevi Thompson FederalistGeneseeJames Ganson* Dem.-Rep. GreeneWilliam FraserAbraham Van Dyck HerkimerChristopher P. Bellinger Dem.-Rep.Jonas Cleland Dem.-Rep.Aaron Hackley, Jr. Dem.-Rep. JeffersonClark Allen* FederalistEthel Bronson FederalistKingsJeremiah Lott FederalistLewisChillus Doty Madison Stephen F. BlackstoneElisha CarringtonAbraham D. Van Horne Montgomery Samuel A. GilbertJames KnoxGabriel MannySylvanus WilcoxAndrew Zabriskie New YorkJohn B. Coles FederalistIsaac S. Douglass* FederalistGabriel Furman FederalistRichard Hatfield Jr.*Samuel Jones Jr.* FederalistCharles King FederalistElisha W. KingDavid B. Ogden FederalistJames PalmerAbraham Russell* FederalistJames Smith* Federalist OneidaIsaac Brayton FederalistLaurens HullJames Lynch FederalistHenry McNeil FederalistTheodore Sill Federalist Onondaga Barnet Mooney Dem.-Rep.Moses Nash Dem.-Rep. Ontario Hugh McNairStephen PhelpsDavid Sutherland*Joshua VanfleetAsahel Warner* Dem.-Rep. Orange William Ross* Dem.-Rep.Joshua SayreBenjamin StrongBenjamin Webb OtsegoErastus Crafts*Abel DeForest*Samuel Griffin*James Hyde* FederalistPutnamJoshua Barnum Jr. QueensStephen Carman* FederalistJohn Fleet* FederalistDaniel Kissam Federalist RensselaerWilliam Bradley FederalistBurton Hammond FederalistBethel Mather FederalistBarent Van Vleck FederalistRichmondJames Guyon, Jr.* Dem.-Rep.RocklandPeter S. Van Orden* Dem.-Rep.St. LawrenceLouis Hasbrouckalso Clerk of St. Lawrence Co. SaratogaNicholas W. AngleJohn DunningAvery StarkweatherSamuel Young Dem.-Rep. SchenectadyAbraham Van Ingen FederalistLawrence Vrooman Federalist SchoharieWilliam C. Bouck Dem.-Rep.William DietzSenecaJames McCall* SuffolkJonathan S. Conklin Dem.-Rep.Thomas S. Lester Dem.-Rep.Nathaniel Potter Dem.-Rep. Sullivan and UlsterCoenrad Bevier Dem.-Rep.Daniel Clark Dem.-Rep.John KierstedGreen MillerTiogaCaleb Baker Dem.-Rep. Warren and WashingtonPaul DennisSamuel GordonJohn Richards Dem.-Rep.contested; seat vacatedJohn Savage Dem.-Rep.also District Attorney of the 4th DistrictCharles StarbuckJohn Whiteseated on February 17, 1814, in place of John Richardssee A Compilation of Cases of Contested Elections to Seats in the Assembly of the State of New York (1871; pg. 31–36) WestchesterWilliam Barker* FederalistAbraham Miller* Dem.-Rep.Richard Valentine Morris Federalist
Employees Clerk: James Van Ingen Sergeant-at-Arms: David Olmstead Doorkeeper: Benjamin Whipple
Notes
Sources The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [see pg. 108f for Senate districts; pg. 122 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 188 for assemblymen] The History of Political Parties in the State of New-York, from the Ratification of the Federal Constitution to 1840 by Jabez D. Hammond (4th ed., Vol. 1, H. & E. Phinney, Cooperstown, 1846; pages 354–375) Election result Assembly, Broome Co. at project "A New Nation Votes", compiled by Phil Lampi, hosted by Tufts University Digital Library Partial election result Assembly, Clinton and Franklin Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" [gives only votes from Clinton Co.] Election result Assembly, Cortland Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Dutchess Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Essex Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Greene Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Herkimer Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Kings Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Onondaga Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Queens Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Rensselaer Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Richmond Co. at project "A New Nation Votes" Election result Assembly, Suffolk Co. at project "A New Nation Votes"