The 66th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to April 18, 1843, during the first year of William C. Bouck's governorship, in Albany.
Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1821, 32 Senators were elected on general tickets in eight 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.
On April 5, 1842, the Legislature enacted that future state elections be held on a single day, fixing the date on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November.
State Senator John W. Taylor resigned on August 19, 1842, leaving a vacancy in the Fourth District.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. The radical abolitionists appeared as the Liberty Party.
On September 7, 1842, the Democratic state convention met at Syracuse, and nominated again William C. Bouck for governor, and Daniel S. Dickinson for lieutenant governor.
On the same day, the Whig state convention nominated Lt. Gov. Luther Bradish for governor, and State Senator Gabriel Furman for lieutenant governor.
The Liberty Party nominated Alvan Stewart for governor, and Charles O. Shepard for lieutenant governor.
Elections The state election was held on November 8, 1842. William C. Bouck and Daniel S. Dickinson were elected governor and lieutenant governor.
Abraham A. Deyo (2nd D.), John C. Wright (3rd D.), Sidney Lawrence, Thomas B. Mitchell (both 4th D.), Calvin T. Chamberlain (6th D.), John Porter (7th D.), Harvey Putnam (8th D.), and assemblymen John A. Lott (1st D.) and Carlos P. Scovil (5th D.) were elected to the Senate. Putnam was a Whig, the other eight were Democrats.
Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1843; and adjourned on April 18.
George R. Davis (D) was elected Speaker with 89 votes against 32 for Willis Hall (W). Henry N. Wales (D) was elected Clerk of the Assembly with 91 votes against 35 for Philander B. Prindle (W).see Journal of the Assembly (66th Session) (1843)
On January 21, the Legislature elected Edwin Croswell (D) to succeed Thurlow Weed as State Printer.
On February 6, the Legislature re-elected State Treasurer Thomas Farrington (D).
On February 7, the Legislature re-elected U.S. Senator Silas Wright, Jr. to a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1843.
State Senate Districts The First District (4 seats) consisted of Kings, New York and Richmond counties. The Second District (4 seats) consisted of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. The Third District (4 seats) consisted of Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. The Fourth District (4 seats) consisted of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. The Fifth District (4 seats) consisted of Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and Otsego counties. The Sixth District (4 seats) consisted of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chemung, Chenango, Livingston, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties. The Seventh District (4 seats) consisted of Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties. The Eighth District (4 seats) consisted of Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming 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. John A. Lott and Carlos P. Scovil changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
District Senators Term left Party Notes FirstMorris Franklin*1 year WhigJohn B. Scott*2 years DemocratIsaac L. Varian*3 years DemocratJohn A. Lott*4 years Democrat SecondJohn Hunter*1 year DemocratRobert Denniston*2 years DemocratAbraham Bockee*3 years DemocratAbraham A. Deyo4 years Democrat ThirdErastus Root*1 year WhigHenry W. Strong*2 years Democratalso Recorder of TroyErastus Corning*3 years DemocratJohn C. Wright4 years Democratuntil February 9, 1843, also First Judge of the Schoharie County Court FourthJames G. Hopkins*1 year WhigSidney Lawrence2 years Democratelected to fill vacancy, in place of John W. Taylor; until March 31, 1843, also Surrogate of Franklin Co.Edmund Varney*3 years DemocratThomas B. Mitchell4 years Democrat FifthSumner Ely*1 year DemocratHenry A. Foster*2 years DemocratWilliam Ruger*3 years Democratdied on May 21, 1843Carlos P. Scovil*4 years Democrat SixthAndrew B. Dickinson*1 year WhigNehemiah Platt*2 years WhigJames Faulkner*3 years DemocratCalvin T. Chamberlain4 years Democrat SeventhLyman Sherwood*1 year DemocratElijah Rhoades*2 years WhigWilliam Bartlit*3 years DemocratJohn Porter4 years Democrat EighthAbram Dixon*1 year WhigSamuel Works*2 years WhigGideon Hard*3 years WhigHarvey Putnam4 years Whiguntil January 14, 1843, also Surrogate of Wyoming Co.
Employees Clerk: Isaac R. Elwood Deputy Clerks: Charles Bryan, Robert F. Salvidge Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles Niven Doorkeeper: Joel Gillett Assistant Doorkeeper: Martin Miller
State Assembly Districts
Albany County (3 seats) Allegany County (2 seats) Broome County (1 seat) Cattaraugus County (2 seats) Cayuga County (3 seats) Chautauqua County (3 seats) Chemung County (1 seat) Chenango County (3 seats) Clinton County (1 seat) Columbia County (3 seats) Cortland County (2 seats) Delaware County (2 seats) Dutchess County (3 seats) Erie County (3 seats) Essex County (1 seat) Franklin County (1 seat) Fulton and Hamilton counties (1 seat) Genesee County (2 seats) Greene County (2 seats) Herkimer County (2 seats) Jefferson County (3 seats) Kings County (2 seats) Lewis County (1 seat) Livingston County (2 seats) Madison County (3 seats) Monroe County (3 seats) Montgomery County (2 seats) The City and County of New York (13 seats) Niagara County (2 seats) Oneida County (4 seats) Onondaga County (4 seats) Ontario County (3 seats) Orange County (3 seats) Orleans County (1 seat) Oswego County (2 seats) Otsego County (3 seats) Putnam County (1 seat) Queens County (1 seat) Rensselaer County (3 seats) Richmond County (1 seat) Rockland County (1 seat) St. Lawrence County (2 seats) Saratoga County (2 seats) Schenectady County (1 seat) Schoharie County (2 seats) Seneca County (1 seat) Steuben County (3 seats) Suffolk County (2 seats) Sullivan County (1 seat) Tioga County (1 seat) Tompkins County (2 seats) Ulster County (2 seats) Warren County (1 seat) Washington (2 seats) Wayne County (2 seats) Westchester County (2 seats) Wyoming County (2 seats) Yates County (1 seat)
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.
Party affiliations follow the result given in Niles' Register.see: Niles' National Register (issue of December 3, 1842; pg. 211f)
District Assemblymen Party Notes AlbanyWillis Hall Whig Aaron Van Schaack WhigJohn I. Slingerland Whig AlleganyRobert Flint WhigSamuel Russell WhigBroomeGilbert Dickinson Democrat CattaraugusAlonzo Hawley WhigElijah A. Rice Whig CayugaVincent Kenyon DemocratAlfred Lyon DemocratDarius Monroe Democrat ChautauquaOdin Benedict WhigAdolphus S. Morrison WhigEmory F. Warren* WhigChemungSamuel G. Hathaway Jr.* Democrat ChenangoEdward Cornell DemocratSamuel Medbury DemocratDanforth Wales DemocratClintonJulius C. Hubbell Democrat ColumbiaAnson Brown DemocratLucas Hoes DemocratPeter Poucher Democrat CortlandHarry McGraw WhigGeorge N. Niles Democrat DelawareMilton Bostwick DemocratNelson K. Wheeler Democrat DutchessGilbert Bentley DemocratJohn Elseffer DemocratJohn M. Ketcham* Democrat ErieGeorge R. Babcock WhigWells Brooks WhigMilton McNeal WhigEssexSamuel Shumway WhigFranklinJoseph H. Jackson WhigFulton and HamiltonJohn L. Hutchinson Democrat GeneseeRobinson Smiley* WhigIra Wait Whig GreeneAaron Bushnell DemocratPhilip Teats Democrat HerkimerWalter Booth DemocratJohn T. Hall Democrat JeffersonElihu C. Church* DemocratJoseph Graves DemocratJob Lamson Democrat KingsWilliam Conselyea Jr. DemocratWilliam M. Udall* DemocratLewisAmos Buck Democrat LivingstonDaniel H. Fitzhugh WhigDaniel D. Spencer Whig Madison Venoni W. Mason DemocratHenry Palmer DemocratLorenzo Sherwood Democrat MonroeJerome Fuller WhigRobert Haight WhigEnoch Strong Whig Montgomery John Bowdish DemocratJohn I. Zoller Democrat New YorkElbridge G. Baldwin* WhigCharles P. Daly DemocratGeorge G. Glasier DemocratTimothy R. Hibbard DemocratDavid R. Floyd-Jones* DemocratWilliam McMurray* DemocratAbsalom E. Miller DemocratGeorge Paulding DemocratDaniel C. Pentz* DemocratEdward Sanford DemocratRobert Smith WhigJames T. Thomson DemocratEdward H. White Democrat NiagaraThomas T. Flagler* WhigJohn Sweeney Whig OneidaDan P. Cadwell DemocratAmos S. Fassett DemocratDavid Murray DemocratJohn H. Tower Democrat Onondaga Benjamin French DemocratThomas McCarthy DemocratThomas Sherwood DemocratCharles R. Vary Democrat Ontario Sylvester Austin WhigJames C. Brown WhigJedediah Dewey Jr. Whig Orange Leonard Lee DemocratJohn W. Martin DemocratJohn Van Duzer DemocratOrleansElisha Wright Whig OswegoWilliam F. Allen DemocratAlban Strong Democrat OtsegoSilas Burleson DemocratJohn R. Griggs DemocratHarvey Hunt DemocratPutnamSylvenus Warren DemocratQueensSamuel Youngs Democrat RensselaerGeorge R. Davis* Democratelected Speaker; also First Judge of the Rensselaer County CourtSamuel Douglass DemocratHenry Vandenbergh DemocratRichmondHenry Cole* DemocratRocklandCornelius M. Demarest Democrat St. LawrenceCalvin T. Hulburd* DemocratGeorge Redington* Democrat SaratogaLyndes Emerson DemocratAzariah E. Stimson DemocratSchenectadyEdward H. Walton Democrat SchoharieJohn Osterhout DemocratAbraham Richtmeyer DemocratSenecaMatthew West Democrat SteubenMorris Brown DemocratFrancis E. Erwin* DemocratZiba A. Leland* Democrat SuffolkSamuel B. Nicoll DemocratJoshua B. Smith DemocratSullivanJonathan Stratton DemocratTiogaSimeon R. Griffin Democrat TompkinsSylvanus Larned DemocratGeorge T. Spink Democrat UlsterWilliam Soper DemocratEdmund Suydam DemocratWarrenPelatiah Richards Whig WashingtonAnson Bigelow WhigJames W. Porter Whig WayneFrederick U. Sheffield DemocratPhilip Sours Democrat WestchesterAndrew Findlay DemocratSamuel L. Holmes Democrat WyomingEleazer Baldwin* WhigTruman Benedict WhigYatesRichard H. Williams Democrat
Employees Clerk: Henry N. Wales Sergeant-at-Arms: Pliny M. Bromley Doorkeeper: John W. Turner Assistant Doorkeeper: Isaac Satterlee Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Henry Rankin
Notes
Sources The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) [pg. 109 and 441 for Senate districts; pg. 134 for senators; pg. 148f for Assembly districts; pg. 227f for assemblymen] Political History of the State of New York from January 1, 1841, to January 1, 1847, Vol III, including the Life of Silas Wright (Hall & Dickson, Syracuse NY, 1848; pg. 311 to 368)