27th New York State Legislature


The 27th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 31 to April 11, 1804, during the third 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.
State Senator Solomon Sutherland died on September 10, 1802, leaving a vacancy in the Middle District.
In 1803, Montgomery County, and two seats were transferred from the Western to the Eastern District.
U.S. Senator DeWitt Clinton resigned on November 4, 1803, after his appointment as Mayor of New York City, and Governor George Clinton appointed John Armstrong to fill the vacancy temporarily.
U.S. Senator Theodorus Bailey resigned on January 16, 1804, after his appointment as Postmaster of New York City.
At this time the politicians were divided into two opposing political parties: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The Democratic-Republican Party split into two opposing factions at the gubernatorial election of 1804: the "Regulars" who supported Morgan Lewis, and the "Burrites" who supported Vice President Aaron Burr. Lewis had been nominated for Governor by his party, but Burr, after being dropped from the presidential ticket in favor of Gov. George Clinton, ran against Lewis. Burr also received the support of the majority of the Federalists although his enemy Alexander Hamilton, the leader of the Federalists, advocated against it and supported Lewis.

Elections

The State election was held from April 26 to 28, 1803. Senator Edward Savage was re-elected. John Broome, Joshua H. Brett, Robert Johnston, John Tayler and Thomas Tredwell ; and Assemblymen John Woodworth and Caleb Hyde were also elected to full terms in the Senate. Simon Veeder and Assemblyman James Burt were elected to fill the vacancies. All ten were Democratic-Republicans.

Sessions

The Legislature met at the Old City Hall in Albany on January 31, 1804; and the Assembly adjourned on April 10, the Senate on April 11.
Dem.-Rep. Alexander Sheldon was elected Speaker.
On February 3, 1804, the Legislature elected two U.S. senators : John Armstrong to succeed himself, and John Smith to succeed Theodorus Bailey.

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. James Burt, John Woodworth and Caleb Hyde changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftPartyNotes
SouthernWilliam Denning*1 yearDem.-Rep.
SouthernBenjamin Huntting*1 yearDem.-Rep.
SouthernEbenezer Purdy*1 yearDem.-Rep.
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernJohn Schenck*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
SouthernJohn Broome4 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment;
in April 1804 elected Lieutenant Governor of New York
MiddleJohn C. Hogeboom*1 yearDem.-Rep.
MiddleJames W. Wilkin*1 yearDem.-Rep.
MiddleJacobus S. Bruyn*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddlePeter A. Van Bergen*2 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleJames Burt*3 yearsDem.-Rep./Burriteelected to fill the vacancy, in place of Solomon Sutherland
MiddleAbraham Adriance*3 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
MiddleJoshua H. Brett4 yearsDem.-Rep.
MiddleRobert Johnston4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternJames Gordon*1 yearFederalist
EasternJacobus Van Schoonhoven*2 yearsFederalist
EasternAbraham Van Vechten*2 yearsFederalistalso Recorder of the City of Albany
EasternSimon Veeder2 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to fill the vacancy, in place of Christopher Hutton
EasternJacob Snell*3 yearsDem.-Rep.Snell lived in Montgomery Co. and had
been elected in the Western District in 1802
EasternEdward Savage*4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternJohn Tayler4 yearsDem.-Rep.
EasternThomas Tredwell4 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment
EasternJohn Woodworth*4 yearsDem.-Rep.from February 3, 1804, also New York Attorney General
WesternRobert Roseboom*1 yearDem.-Rep.
WesternJedediah Sanger*1 yearFederalistalso the First Judge of the Oneida County Court
WesternLemuel Chipman*2 yearsFederalist
WesternIsaac Foote*2 yearsFederalist
WesternJoseph Annin*3 yearsDem.-Rep./Burrite
WesternAsa Danforth*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternMatthias B. Tallmadge*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternGeorge Tiffany*3 yearsDem.-Rep.
WesternCaleb Hyde*4 yearsDem.-Rep.elected to the Council of Appointment

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.
CountyAssemblymenPartyNotes
AlbanyJohn Beekman Jr.
AlbanyJohann Jost Dietz*Federalist
AlbanyJames EmottFederalist
AlbanyPeter S. Schuyler*Federalist
AlbanyMoses Smith
Albanyvacant
CayugaSilas HalseyDem.-Rep.in April 1804, elected to the 9th United States Congress
CayugaThomas Hewitt*
CayugaAmos RathbunDem.-Rep.
ChenangoObadiah GermanDem.-Rep.
ChenangoStephen Hoxie*
ChenangoJames Moore
ChenangoJoel Thompson*Federalist
ClintonBenjamin MooersDem.-Rep.
ColumbiaBenjamin BirdsallDem.-Rep.
ColumbiaStephen MillerDem.-Rep.
ColumbiaSamuel Ten BroeckDem.-Rep.
ColumbiaJames I. Van AlenDem.-Rep.
DelawareGabriel NorthDem.-Rep.
DelawareElias Osborn*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessJoseph E. HaffDem.-Rep.
DutchessJohn Martin*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessThomas Mitchell*Dem.-Rep.
DutchessZalmon SanfordDem.-Rep.
DutchessWilliam TaberDem.-Rep./Burrite
DutchessBenajah ThompsonDem.-Rep.
DutchessTheodorus R. Van Wyck*Dem.-Rep.
EssexTheodorus RossDem.-Rep.
Genesee
and Ontario		Amos Hall
Genesee
and Ontario		Nathaniel W. HowellFederalist
Genesee
and Ontario		Polydore B. Wisner*
GreeneStephen SimmonsFederalist
GreeneStoddard SmithFederalist
HerkimerEvans WharryDem.-Rep.
HerkimerGeorge Widrig*Dem.-Rep.
HerkimerSamuel Wright*Dem.-Rep.
KingsJohn Hicks*Dem.-Rep.
MontgomeryJohn HerkimerDem.-Rep.
MontgomeryHenry Kennedy*
MontgomeryArchibald McIntyreDem.-Rep.also Deputy Secretary of State of New York
MontgomeryAlexander Sheldon*Dem.-Rep.elected Speaker
MontgomeryDavid J. Zeilly
New YorkSamuel Bradhurst
New YorkGeorge Clinton, Jr.Dem.-Rep.
New YorkPeter Curtenius
New YorkWilliam Few*Dem.-Rep.
New YorkHenry RutgersDem.-Rep.
New YorkPeter A. Schenck
New YorkSolomon Townsend
New YorkJames WarnerDem.-Rep.
New YorkPeter H. WendoverDem.-Rep.
OneidaDavid Coffeen
OneidaJoseph KirklandFederalist
OneidaDavid OstromFederalist
OneidaAbraham Van EpsFederalist
OnondagaJames GeddesFederalist
OnondagaJohn McWhorter*Dem.-Rep.
OrangeJoshua Brown
OrangeRobert R. Burnet
OrangeSamuel S. SewardFederalist
OrangeHenry Tucker
OtsegoPeter P. Dumont
OtsegoJedediah Peck*Dem.-Rep.
OtsegoSolomon Pier
OtsegoHenry ScottDem.-Rep.
QueensStephen Carman*Federalist
QueensJohn D. DitmisDem.-Rep.
QueensWilliam MottDem.-Rep.
RensselaerAsa MannDem.-Rep.
RensselaerJonathan Rouse*Dem.-Rep.
RensselaerCharles SeldenDem.-Rep.
RensselaerWilliam StewardDem.-Rep.
RensselaerSamuel Vary Jr.Dem.-Rep.
RichmondJohn HousemanDem.-Rep.
RocklandSamuel G. VerbryckDem.-Rep.
SaratogaAdam Comstock*Dem.-Rep.
SaratogaJohn HunterDem.-Rep.
SaratogaSamuel LewisDem.-Rep.
SaratogaOthniel Looker*Dem.-Rep.
SchoharieHenry Becker*Dem.-Rep.
SchoharieFreegift PatchinDem.-Rep.
SteubenJames Faulkner*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkIsrael Carll*Dem.-Rep.
SuffolkSylvester DeringDem.-Rep.
SuffolkDavid HedgesDem.-Rep.
TiogaAshbel Wells
UlsterBenjamin BevierDem.-Rep.
UlsterLucas ElmendorfDem.-Rep.
UlsterJoseph Hasbrouck Jr.Dem.-Rep.
UlsterJames RossDem.-Rep.
WashingtonDavid Austin*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonKitchel Bishop*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonWilliam Livingston
WashingtonJohn McKinney
WashingtonJohn McLean*Dem.-Rep.
WashingtonStephen Thorn
WestchesterAbijah Gilbert*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterAbraham Odell*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterThomas Thomas*Dem.-Rep.
WestchesterJoseph Travis*Dem.-Rep.

Employees