26th New York State Legislature


The 26th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 25 to April 6, 1803, during the second year of George Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, 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.
At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans.

Elections

The State election was held from April 27 to 29, 1802. Senators John Schenck and Solomon Sutherland were re-elected. Joseph Annin, Matthias B. Tallmadge, George Tiffany ; and Assemblymen Abraham Adriance, Asa Danforth and Jacob Snell were also elected to the Senate. All eight were Democratic-Republicans.

Sessions

The Legislature met at the Old City Hall in Albany on January 25, 1803; and adjourned on April 6.
Dem.-Rep. Thomas Storm was re-elected Speaker. Solomon Southwick was elected Clerk of the Assembly with 42 votes against 31 for the incumbent James Van Ingen.
On February 1, 1803, the Legislature elected Theodorus Bailey to the U.S. Senate, to succeed Gouverneur Morris.
On February 8, 1803, the Legislature elected Abraham G. Lansing State Treasurer, to succeed Robert McClellan.

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. Abraham Adriance, Asa Danforth and Jacob Snell changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
SouthernRichard Hatfield*1 yearFederalist
SouthernWilliam Denning*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernBenjamin Huntting*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernEbenezer Purdy*2 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernJohn Schenck*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn Hathorn*1 yearDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn Suffern*1 yearDem.-Rep.
MiddleJohn C. Hogeboom*2 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
MiddleJames W. Wilkin*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJacobus S. Bruyn*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddlePeter A. Van Bergen*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
Middle4 yearsDem.-Rep.died September 10, 1802, before the Legislature met
MiddleAbraham Adriance*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternZina Hitchcock*1 yearFederalist
EasternEbenezer Russell*1 yearFederalist
EasternEdward Savage*1 yearDem.-Rep.
EasternJames Gordon*2 yearsFederalist
EasternJacobus Van Schoonhoven*3 yearsFederalistelected to the Council of Appointment
EasternAbraham Van Vechten*3 yearsFederalistalso Recorder of the City of Albany
Eastern3 yearsDem.-Rep./Fed.
WesternVincent Mathews*1 yearFederalist
WesternMoss Kent*1 yearFederalist
WesternRobert Roseboom*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternJedediah Sanger*2 yearsFederalistalso First Judge of the Oneida County Court
WesternLemuel Chipman*3 yearsFederalist
WesternIsaac Foote3 yearsFederalist
WesternJoseph Annin4 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternAsa Danforth*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternJacob Snell*4 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
WesternMatthias B. Tallmadge4 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternGeorge Tiffany4 yearsDem.-Rep.

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. Stephen Lush changed from the Senate to the Assembly.
DistrictAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyJohann Jost Dietz*Federalist
AlbanyJohn Frisby
AlbanyStephen Lush*Federalist
AlbanyMaus Schermerhorn
AlbanyPeter S. Schuyler*Federalist
AlbanyJacob Ten Eyck*Federalist
CayugaSalmon Buell*
CayugaSilas HalseyDem.-Rep.
CayugaThomas Hewitt
ChenangoJames Green
ChenangoStephen Hoxie
ChenangoJoel ThompsonFederalistpreviously a member from Albany Co.
ChenangoUri TracyDem.-Rep.also Chenango County Clerk
ClintonPeter SaillyDem.-Rep.
ColumbiaSamuel EdmondsFederalist
ColumbiaAaron KelloggFederalist
ColumbiaMoncrief LivingstonFederalist
ColumbiaPeter SilvesterFederalist
DelawareJohn Lamb
DelawareElias OsbornDem.-Rep.
DutchessJoseph C. FieldDem.-Rep.
DutchessJohn JewettDem.-Rep.
DutchessJohn MartinDem.-Rep.
DutchessThomas MitchellDem.-Rep.
DutchessPhilip Spencer Jr.Dem.-Rep.
DutchessTheodorus R. Van WyckDem.-Rep.
DutchessJames WinchellDem.-Rep.
EssexThomas Stower
Genesee
and Ontario		Thaddeus Chapin
Genesee
and Ontario		Augustus PorterDem.-Rep.
Genesee
and Ontario		Polydore B. Wisner
GreeneGeorge HaleFederalist
GreeneMartin G. SchunemanDem.-Rep.previously a member from Ulster Co.
HerkimerStephen MillerDem.-Rep.
HerkimerGeorge Widrig*Dem.-Rep.
HerkimerSamuel WrightDem.-Rep.
KingsJohn Hicks
MontgomeryHenry Kennedy
MontgomeryJohn Roof
MontgomeryAlexander Sheldon*Dem.-Rep.
MontgomeryDaniel Walker
MontgomeryCharles Ward*Dem.-Rep.
New YorkJohn Brower
New YorkJohn Burger
New YorkWilliam Few*Dem.-Rep.
New YorkWilliam W. GilbertDem.-Rep.
New YorkPeter Irving
New YorkCornelius C. Roosevelt
New YorkEzekiel Robins*Dem.-Rep.
New YorkThomas Storm*Dem.-Rep.re-elected Speaker
New YorkDaniel D. TompkinsDem.-Rep.
OneidaJames Dean Sr.
OneidaAbel French*Federalist
OneidaJohn Lay
OneidaAaron Morse
OnondagaJohn LambDem.-Rep.
OnondagaJohn McWhorterDem.-Rep.
OrangeJames Burt*Dem.-Rep.
OrangeWilliam A. Clark
OrangeJames Finch Jr.
OrangeReuben Neely
OtsegoDaniel Hawks
OtsegoJames Moore
OtsegoJedediah Peck*Dem.-Rep.
OtsegoLuther Rich
QueensStephen CarmanFederalist
QueensAbraham Monfoort*Dem.-Rep.
QueensHenry O. SeamanDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJohn Green*Dem.-Rep.
RensselaerJonathan RouseDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJohn RyanDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJohn WoodworthDem.-Rep.
RensselaervacantNicholas Staats and Arent Van Dyck were tied
in fifth place with 1,271 votes each, so there was "no choice".
RichmondPaul I. Micheau*Federalist
RocklandPeter Denoyelles*Dem.-Rep.
SaratogaSamuel Clark*
SaratogaAdam Comstock*Dem.-Rep.
SaratogaGideon GoodrichDem.-Rep.
SaratogaOthniel LookerDem.-Rep.
SchoharieHenry BeckerDem.-Rep.
SchoharieLawrence Lawyer Jr.*Dem.-Rep.
SteubenJames FaulknerDem.-Rep.
SuffolkIsrael Carll*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkJonathan DaytonDem.-Rep.
SuffolkJosiah Reeve
TiogaCaleb Hyde*Dem.-Rep.
UlsterMoses Cantine Jr.Dem.-Rep.
UlsterJames Kain
UlsterCornelius LowFederalist
UlsterElnathan Sears*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonDavid AustinDem.-Rep.
WashingtonKitchel Bishop*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonAlexander Cowan*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonJason Kellogg*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonJohn McLean*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonIsaac Sargent*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterAbijah Gilbert*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterAbraham Odell*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterThomas Thomas*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterJoseph Travis*Dem.-Rep.

Employees