55th New York State Legislature


The 55th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to July 2, 1832, during the fourth year of Enos T. Throop'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.
Canal Commissioner Henry Seymour resigned in May 1831. Gov. Throop appointed Jonas Earll, Jr. to fill the vacancy temporarily.
At this time, there were three political parties: the Jacksonian Democrats, the Anti-Masons, and the National Republicans.

Elections

The State election was held from November 7 to 9, 1831. Harman B. Cropsey, Allan Macdonald, Josiah Fisk, Robert Lansing, Jehiel H. Halsey ; and Assemblymen John W. Edmonds, John G. McDowell and John Birdsall were elected to the Senate. Birdsall was an Anti-Mason, the other seven were Jacksonians.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1832; and adjourned on April 26.
Charles L. Livingston was elected Speaker.
On January 9, the Legislature upheld Gov. Throop's recess appointment, electing Jonas Earll, Jr. as Canal Commissioner.
On February 6, the Legislature re-elected Secretary of State Azariah C. Flagg, State Comptroller Silas Wright, Jr., State Treasurer Abraham Keyser, Jr., Attorney General Greene C. Bronson and Surveyor General Simeon De Witt.
The Anti-Masonic state convention met on June 21, and nominated again Assemblyman Francis Granger for Governor and Samuel Stevens, of New York City, for Lieutenant Governor. They also nominated a full ticket of presidential electors, apparently composed of some supporters of William Wirt, and some of Henry Clay, but not pledged to any candidate.
The Legislature met for a special session on June 21; and the Assembly adjourned on June 30, the Senate on July 2. This session was called to re-apportion the congressional districts, and to direct sanitary measures concerning the cholera epidemic.
The National Republican state convention met on July 26, Ambrose Spencer was Chairman. They endorsed The Anti-Masonic nominees Granger and Stevens. They also endorsed the ticket of presidential electors nominated by the Anti-Masons, who—if they won the election—should vote for Henry Clay if this would help to defeat Jackson, otherwise for Wirt. In effect, both parties were in the process of merging, becoming eventually the Whig Party.
The Jacksonian state convention met on September 19 at Herkimer, Samuel Young was Chairman. They nominated U.S. Senator William L. Marcy for Governor, and Judge John Tracy for Lieutenant Governor.

State Senate

Districts

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 W. Edmonds, John G. McDowell and John Birdsall changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
FirstStephen Allen*1 yearJacksonian
FirstAlpheus Sherman*2 yearsJacksonian
FirstJonathan S. Conklin*3 yearsJacksonian
FirstHarman B. Cropsey4 yearsJacksonian
SecondSamuel Rexford*1 yearJacksonian
SecondNathaniel P. Tallmadge*2 yearsJacksonian
SecondDavid M. Westcott*3 yearsJacksonian
SecondAllan Macdonald4 yearsJacksonianalso Postmaster of White Plains
ThirdLewis Eaton*1 yearJacksonian
ThirdWilliam Dietz*2 yearsJacksonianin November 1832, elected a presidential elector
ThirdHerman I. Quackenboss*3 yearsJacksonian
ThirdJohn W. Edmonds*4 yearsJacksonianalso Recorder of the City of Hudson
FourthJohn McLean Jr.*1 yearJacksonian
FourthIsaac Gere*2 yearsJacksonian
FourthWilliam I. Dodge*3 yearsJacksonian
FourthJosiah Fisk4 yearsJacksonian
FifthWilliam H. Maynard*1 yearAnti-Masondied on August 28, 1832
FifthAlvin Bronson*2 yearsJacksonian
FifthHenry A. Foster*3 yearsJacksonian
FifthRobert Lansing4 yearsJacksonian
SixthJohn F. Hubbard*1 yearJacksonian
SixthLevi Beardsley*2 yearsJacksonian
SixthCharles W. Lynde*3 yearsAnti-Mason
SixthJohn G. McDowell*4 yearsJacksonianalso Postmaster of Chemung
SeventhHiram F. Mather*1 yearAnti-Mason
SeventhThomas Armstrong*2 yearsJacksonianalso Supervisor of Butler
SeventhWilliam H. Seward*3 yearsAnti-Mason
SeventhJehiel H. Halsey4 yearsJacksonian
EighthPhilo C. Fuller*1 yearAnti-Mason
EighthAlbert H. Tracy*2 yearsAnti-Mason
EighthTrumbull Cary*3 yearsAnti-Mason
EighthJohn Birdsall*4 yearsAnti-Mason

Employees

Districts

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.
The party affiliations follow the vote on the state officers on January 9 and February 6; and participation in the Jacksonian caucus on February 2.
DistrictAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyAbijah C. DisbrowJacksonian
AlbanyPhilip LennebackerJacksonian
AlbanyWilliam SeymourJacksonian
AlleganyJohn B. CollinsAnti-Mason
BroomeVincent WhitneyAnti-Mason
CattaraugusGeorge A. S. CrookerNat. Rep.
CayugaJohn BeardsleyJacksonian
CayugaGeorge H. BrinkerhoffJacksonian
CayugaJohn W. SawyerJacksonian
CayugaGeorge S. Tilford*Jacksonian
ChautauquaTheron BlyAnti-Mason
ChautauquaSquire White*Anti-Mason
ChenangoNoah ElyAnti-Mason
ChenangoJoseph Juliand*Anti-Mason
ChenangoEdmond G. Per LeeAnti-Mason
ClintonJohn Walker*Jacksoniandied on January 13 or 14, 1832.
ClintonJohn PalmerJacksonianelected to fill vacancy, seated on February 24, 1832
ColumbiaMedad ButlerJacksonian
ColumbiaTobias L. HogeboomJacksonian
ColumbiaLeonard W. Ten BroeckJacksonian
CortlandAndrew DicksonJacksonian
CortlandJonathan L. WoodsJacksonian
DelawareJames CoulterJacksonian
DelawareJames HughstonJacksonian
DutchessRobert CoffinJacksonian
DutchessEly HamblinJacksonian
DutchessMichael S. MartinJacksonian
DutchessIsrael ShadboltJacksonian
ErieHorace ClarkAnti-Mason
ErieWilliam MillsAnti-Mason
EssexIsaac VanderwarkerJacksonian
FranklinJames B. Spencer*Jacksonian
GeneseeSeth M. GatesAnti-Mason
GeneseeHenry HawkinsAnti-Mason
GeneseeJames Sprague 2dAnti-Mason
GreeneErastus HamiltonJacksonian
GreeneDumah TuttleJacksonian
Hamilton and
Montgomery		Silas PhilipsJacksonian
Hamilton and
Montgomery		Jacob Van ArnumJacksonian
Hamilton and
Montgomery		Peter WoodJacksonian
HerkimerWilliam C. CrainJacksonian
HerkimerDaniel DygertJacksonian
HerkimerDavid ThorpJacksonian
JeffersonWilliam H. AngelJacksonian
JeffersonPhilip MaxwellJacksonian
JeffersonNathan StrongJacksonian
KingsCoe S. Downing*Jacksonian
LewisAndrew W. DoigJacksonian
LivingstonGeorge W. PattersonAnti-Mason
LivingstonJohn YoungAnti-Mason
MadisonNehemiah BatchelerAnti-Mason
MadisonDaniel M. GilletAnti-Mason
MadisonJohn Head 2dAnti-Mason
MonroeSamuel G. Andrews*Anti-Mason
MonroeIra BellowsAnti-Mason
MonroeWilliam B. BrownAnti-Mason
New YorkNathan T. ArnoldJacksonian
New YorkJudah HammondJacksonian
New YorkCharles L. Livingston*Jacksonianelected Speaker
New YorkJohn McKeonJacksonian
New YorkPhilip E. MilledolerJacksonian
New YorkJames Morgan*Jacksonian
New YorkMordecai Myers*Jacksonian
New YorkGideon Ostrander*Jacksonian
New YorkSilas M. Stilwell*Jacksonian
New YorkMyndert Van SchaickJacksonian
New YorkIsaac L. Varian*Jacksonian
NiagaraHenry Norton*Anti-Mason
OneidaNathaniel FitchJacksonian
OneidaLemuel HoughJacksonian
OneidaRutger B. MillerJacksonian
OneidaDavid Moulton*Jacksonianin November 1832, elected a presidential elector
OneidaDaniel TwitchellJacksonian
OnondagaMiles W. BennettJacksonian
OnondagaElijah W. CurtisJacksonian
OnondagaElisha Litchfield*Jacksonian
OnondagaIchabod RossJacksonian
OntarioFrancis GrangerAnti-Mason
OntarioJonathan MasonAnti-Mason
OntarioRobert C. NicholasAnti-Mason
OrangeJohn BarkerJacksonian
OrangeIsaac R. Van DuzerJacksonian
OrangeCharles WinfieldJacksonian
OrleansWilliam J. BabbittAnti-Mason
OswegoAvery SkinnerJacksonian
OtsegoSamuel ColwellJacksonian
OtsegoGilbert ConeJacksonian
OtsegoWilliam KirbyJacksonian
OtsegoAmasa ThompsonJacksonian
PutnamReuben D. BarnumJacksonian
QueensJohn A. KingNat. Rep.
RensselaerHosea BennettJacksonian
RensselaerHenry J. GenetJacksonian
RensselaerJohn C. KembleJacksonian
RensselaerNicholas M. MastersJacksonian
RichmondJacob MersereauJacksonian
RocklandIsaac I. BlauveltJacksonian
St. LawrenceWilliam AllenJacksonian
St. LawrenceEdwin DodgeJacksonian
SaratogaJames Brisbin Jr.Jacksonian
SaratogaEbenezer CouchJacksonian
SaratogaOran G. Otis*Jacksonian
SchenectadyAbraham DornJacksonian
SchoharieAlexander CrookshankJacksonian
SchoharieJedediah MillerNat. Rep.
SenecaReuben D. DodgeJacksonian
SenecaErastus WoodworthJacksonian
SteubenEdward HowellJacksonianalso D.A. of Steuben County;
in November 1832, elected to the 23rd U.S. Congress
SteubenJohn McBurneyJacksonian
SuffolkSamuel L'Hommedieu Jr.Jacksonian
SuffolkJohn M. WilliamsonJacksonian
SullivanHiram BennettNat. Rep.
TiogaNathaniel SmithJacksonian
TiogaJoel Tallmadge Jr.Jacksonian
TompkinsJohn Ellis*Anti-Mason
TompkinsHorace MackJacksonian
TompkinsJohn James Speed Jr.Jacksonian
UlsterLeonard HardenberghJacksonian
UlsterHeman LandonJacksonian
WarrenAllen AndersonJacksonian
WashingtonIsaac W. BishopJacksonian
WashingtonJohn McDonaldNat. Rep.
WashingtonJames StevensonNat. Rep.
WayneJames HumestonJacksonian
WayneAmbrose SalisburyJacksonian
WestchesterJohn W. FrostNat. Rep.
WestchesterThomas SmithNat. Rep.
WestchesterIsrael H. WatsonJacksonian
YatesAaron Remer*Jacksonian

Employees