The 102nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 22, 1879, during the third year of Lucius Robinson's governorship, in Albany.
Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1846, 32 Senators and 128 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (five districts) and Kings County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards,Except New York City where the wards were apportioned into election districts, and then some whole wards and some election districts of other wards were gerrymandered together into Assembly districts. forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Prohibition Party and the Greenback Party also nominated tickets.
Elections The 1878 New York state election was held on November 5. The only statewide elective office up for election was carried by a Republican. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Republican 391,000; Democratic 356,000; Greenback 75,000;The large Greenback vote was polled by Ex-Secretary of State Gideon J. Tucker, a Tammany Hall man who ran as a "spoiler candidate" to defeat the regular Democratic nominee. This was orchestrated by Tammany Boss John Kelly who engaged in a fierce struggle against the Democratic majority led by Samuel J. Tilden and Lucius Robinson. The split led to the defeat of Gov. Robinson who ran for re-election the next year, being opposed by Republican Alonzo B. Cornell and Kelly himself who ran as a spoiler candidate. and Prohibition 4,000.
Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1879; and adjourned on May 22.
On January 7, senators and assemblymen met at the Old Capitol and then marched together to the New Capitol, taking officially possession of the new accommodations. The New Capitol was then still under construction, being finished only in 1899; and the Senate met for the time being in the Court of Appeals chamber. Due to heavy snowfall, many members had not arrived yet from the Western parts of the State, and the Legislature adjourned.
On January 9, Thomas G. Alvord (R) was again elected Speaker, with 94 votes against 24 for Erastus Brooks (D).
On January 21, the Legislature re-elected U.S. Senator Roscoe Conkling (R) to a third six-year term, beginning on March 4, 1879.CONKLING WINS THE SENATORSHIP in NYT on January 22, 1879
On April 23, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts; and the Assembly seats per county. Columbia, Delaware, Madison, Oneida, Ontario and Oswego counties lost one seat each; Kings and New York counties gained three seats each.THE APPORTIONMENT BILL in NYT on April 21, 1879
State Senate Districts
1st District: Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties 2nd District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 19th and 20th wards of the City of Brooklyn 3rd District: 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th wards of the City of Brooklyn; and all towns in Kings County 4th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th wards of New York City 5th District: 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th wards of New York City 6th District: 10th, 11th and 17th wards of New York City 7th District: 18th, 20th and 21st wards of New York City 8th District: 12th, 19th and 22nd wards of New York City 9th District: Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties 10th District: Orange and Sullivan counties 11th District: Columbia and Dutchess counties 12th District: Rensselaer and Washington counties 13th District: Albany County 14th District: Greene and Ulster counties 15th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga and Schenectady counties 16th District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties 17th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties 18th District: Jefferson and Lewis counties 19th District: Oneida County 20th District: Herkimer and Otsego counties 21st District: Madison and Oswego counties 22nd District: Onondaga and Cortland counties 23rd District: Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties 24th District: Broome, Tompkins and Tioga counties 25th District: Cayuga and Wayne counties 26th District: Ontario, Seneca and Yates counties 27th District: Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties 28th District: Monroe County 29th District: Genesee, Niagara and Orleans counties 30th District: Allegany, Livingston and Wyoming counties 31st District: Erie County 32nd District: 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 Senator Party Notes1stJames M. Oakley* Democrat2ndJames F. Pierce* Democrat3rdJohn C. Jacobs* Democrat4thEdward Hogan* Democrat5thAlfred Wagstaff Jr.* Democrat6thLouis S. Goebel* Republican 7thThomas Murphy Republicanelected to fill vacancy, in place of John Morrissey8thThomas C. E. Ecclesine* Democrat9thWilliam H. Robertson* RepublicanPresident pro tempore10thDaniel B. St. John* Democrat11thStephen H. Wendover* Republican12thCharles Hughes* Democrat13thHamilton Harris* Republican14thAddison P. Jones* Democrat15thWebster Wagner* Republican16thWilliam W. Rockwell* Republican17thDolphus S. Lynde* Republican18thHenry E. Turner* Republican19thAlexander T. Goodwin* Democrat20thSamuel S. Edick* Republican21stJohn W. Lippitt* Republican22ndDennis McCarthy* Republican23rdNathaniel C. Marvin* Republican 24thPeter W. Hopkins* Republicandied on February 7, 1879Edwin G. Halbert Republicanelected to fill vacancy, seated on April 225thTheodore M. Pomeroy* Republican26thEdwin Hicks* Republican27thIra Davenport* Republican28thGeorge Raines* Democrat29thLewis S. Payne* Democrat30thJames H. Loomis* Republican31stRay V. Pierce* Republicanon November 5, 1878, elected to the 46th U.S. Congress32ndLoren B. Sessions* Republicanalso Supervisor of the Town of Harmony
Employees Clerk: John W. Vrooman Sergeant-at-Arms: Weidman Dominick Doorkeeper: James G. Caw Stenographer: Hudson C. Tanner
State Assembly Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.