1st New York State Legislature


The 1st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from September 9, 1777, to June 30, 1778, during the first year of George Clinton's governorship, first at Kingston and later at Poughkeepsie.

Background

The 4th Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York convened at White Plains on July 9, 1776, and declared the independence of the State of New York. The next day the delegates re-convened as the "Convention of Representatives of the State of New-York" and on August 1 a committee was appointed to prepare a State Constitution. The New York Constitution was adopted by the Convention on April 20, 1777, and went into force immediately, without ratification by popular vote.

Apportionment and election

The State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the following election in April 1778, every year one fourth of the State Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term.
Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.
On May 8, 1777, the Constitutional Convention appointed the senators from the Southern District, and the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties—the area which was under British control—and determined that these appointees serve in the Legislature until elections could be held in those areas, presumably after the end of the American Revolutionary War. Vacancies among the appointed members in the Senate should be filled by the Assembly, and vacancies in the Assembly by the Senate.

Sessions

The State Legislature met in Kingston, the seat of Ulster County. The State Senate met first on September 9, 1777, at the home of Abraham Van Gaasbeck, now known as Senate House, the Assembly met first on the next day at the Bogardus Tavern. At the approach of the British army, the State Legislature dispersed on October 7, and reconvened in Poughkeepsie on January 5, 1778, possibly at a house now known as Clinton House.

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. In 1784, Charlotte Co. was renamed Washington Co., and Tryon Co. was renamed Montgomery Co.

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the Constitutional Convention who continued as members of the Legislature.
DistrictSenatorsTerm drawnNotes
SouthernIsaac Roosevelt*1 yearappointed by Constitutional Convention
SouthernJohn Morin Scott*1 yearappointed by Constitutional Convention;
elected to the Council of Appointment;
from March 13, 1778, also Secretary of State of New York
SouthernDr. John Jones2 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention;
resigned on February 26, 1778, due to ill health
SouthernRichard Morris2 yearson March 4, 1778, appointed by the State Assembly, in place of Jones
SouthernJonathan Lawrence*2 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention
SouthernLewis Morris*2 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention
SouthernWilliam Floyd3 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention
SouthernWilliam Smith*3 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention
SouthernPierre Van Cortlandt*3 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention;
elected Temporary President of the State Senate;
then elected Lt. Gov. to fill vacancy, and took office on June 30, 1778
SouthernPhilip Livingston*4 yearsappointed by Constitutional Convention;
died June 12, 1778
MiddleHenry Wisner*1 year
MiddleJonathan Landon*2 years
MiddleZephaniah Platt*2 years
MiddleArthur Parks*3 years
MiddleLevi Pawling4 years
MiddleJesse Woodhull4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
EasternWilliam Duer*1 year
EasternJohn Williams*3 years
EasternAlexander Webster*4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
WesternIsaac Paris*1 year
WesternAbraham Yates Jr.*1 yearelected to the Council of Appointment
WesternDirck W. Ten Broeck2 years
WesternAnthony Van Schaick3 years
WesternJellis Fonda4 years
WesternRinier Mynderse4 years

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. In 1784, Charlotte Co. was renamed Washington Co., and Tryon Co. was renamed Montgomery Co.

Assemblymen

The asterisk denotes members of the Constitutional Convention who continued as members of the Legislature.
DistrictAssemblymenNotes
AlbanyJacob Cuyler*resigned September 30, 1777
AlbanyJohn Cuyler Jr.
AlbanyJames Gordon
AlbanyWalter Livingstonelected Speaker
AlbanyStephen J. Schuyler
AlbanyJohn Tayler*
AlbanyKillian Van Rensselaer
AlbanyRobert Van Rensselaer*
AlbanyPeter Vrooman
AlbanyWilliam B. Whiting
CharlotteJohn Barns
CharlotteEbenezer Clarke
CharlotteJohn Rowan
CharlotteEbenezer Russell
CumberlandnoneNo election returns from these counties
GloucesternoneNo election returns from these counties
DutchessEgbert Bensonalso New York State Attorney General
DutchessDirck Brinckerhoff
DutchessAnthony Hoffman*
DutchessGilbert Livingston*
DutchessAndrew Moorhouse
DutchessJohn Schenck*
DutchessJacobus Swartwout
KingsWilliam Boerumappointed by Constitutional Convention
KingsHenry Williamsappointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkEvert Bancker*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkAbraham Brasher*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkDaniel Dunscomb*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkRobert Harpur*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkFrederick Jayappointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkAbraham P. Lott*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkHenry Rutgersappointed by Constitutional Convention; resigned on February 16, 1778
New YorkJohn Berrienappointed by the State Senate, in place of Rutgers
New YorkJacobus Van Zandt*appointed by Constitutional Convention
New YorkPeter P. Van Zandt*appointed by Constitutional Convention
OrangeJeremiah Clark*
OrangeJohn Hathorn
OrangeTheunis Cuyper
OrangeRoeluf Van Houten
QueensBenjamin Birdsallappointed by Constitutional Convention
QueensBenjamin Coeappointed by Constitutional Convention
QueensPhilip Edsallappointed by Constitutional Convention
QueensDaniel Lawrenceappointed by Constitutional Convention
RichmondAbraham Jonesappointed by Constitutional Convention;
seat declared vacant on June 8, 1778, for "being with the enemy"
RichmondJoshua Mersereauappointed by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkDavid Gelston*appointed by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkEzra L'Hommedieu*appointed by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkBurnet Miller*appointed by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkThomas Tredwell*appointed by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkThomas Wickesappointed by Constitutional Convention
TryonSamuel Clyde
TryonMichael Edie
TryonJacob G. Klock
TryonJacob Snell
TryonAbraham Van Horne
TryonJohannes Veeder
UlsterJohn Cantine
UlsterJohannes G. Hardenbergh*
UlsterMatthew Rea*
UlsterCornelius C. Schoonmaker
UlsterJohannis Snyder
UlsterHenry Wisner Jr.*
WestchesterThaddeus Crane
WestchesterSamuel Drake
WestchesterRobert Graham
WestchesterIsrael Honeywell Jr.
WestchesterZebediah Mills*
WestchesterGouverneur Morris*

Employees