4th New York State Legislature


The 4th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from September 7, 1780, to July 1, 1781, during the fourth year of George Clinton's governorship, first at Poughkeepsie, then at Albany, and finally at Poughkeepsie again.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, 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 election in April 1778, every year six 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 had 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.

Elections

The State elections were held from April 25 to 27, 1780. Gov. George Clinton and Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt were re-elected. Under the determination by the Constitutional Convention, the senators William Floyd, William Smith and Isaac Stoutenburgh, whose seats were up for election, continued in office, as well as the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties. Arthur Parks was re-elected. Philip Schuyler was elected in the Western District. Assemblyman Elkanah Day, from Cumberland County, which had seceded from New York to become a part of the Vermont Republic, was elected in the Eastern District.

Sessions

The State Legislature met first in Poughkeepsie, the seat of Dutchess County, on September 7, 1780, and adjourned on October 10. The Legislature reconvened at the Old City Hall in Albany, the seat of Albany County, on January 17, 1781, and adjourned on March 31. The Legislature reconvened again in Poughkeepsie, the Senate on June 15, the Assembly on June 18, and adjourned finally on July 1.

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 previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Elkanah Day changed from the Assembly to the Senate, but never took his seat.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftNotes
SouthernSir James Jay*1 yearappointed by State Assembly
SouthernIsaac Roosevelt*2 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SouthernJohn Morin Scott*2 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention;
also Secretary of State of New York
SouthernJonathan Lawrence*3 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SouthernLewis Morris*3 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SouthernStephen Ward*3 yearsappointed by State Assembly;
elected to the Council of Appointment
SouthernWilliam Floyd*4 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SouthernWilliam Smith*4 yearsholding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SouthernIsaac Stoutenburgh*4 yearsholding over on appointment by State Assembly
MiddleLevi Pawling*1 year
MiddleJesse Woodhull*1 year
MiddleHenry Wisner*2 years
MiddleEphraim Paine*3 yearselected to the Council of Appointment;
expelled on March 15, 1781, for "neglect of duty"
MiddleZephaniah Platt*3 years
MiddleArthur Parks*4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment to fill vacancy, in place of Ephraim Paine
EasternAlexander Webster*1 year
EasternEbenezer Russell*2 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
Eastern*4 yearsdid not attend
WesternJellis Fonda*1 year
WesternRinier Mynderse*1 year
WesternJacob G. Klock*2 years
WesternAbraham Yates Jr.*2 years
WesternAbraham Ten Broeck3 yearsalso Mayor of Albany;
elected to the Council of Appointment
WesternPhilip Schuyler4 yearsfrom March 30, 1781, also New York State Surveyor General

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 previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
CountyAssemblymenNotes
AlbanyMatthew Adgate
AlbanyJohn Ja. Beekman
AlbanyJames Gordon*
AlbanyJohn Lansing Jr.
AlbanyPeter R. Livingston
AlbanyDirck Swart
AlbanyJohn Tayler
AlbanyJohn Van Rensselaer Jr.
AlbanyRobert Van Rensselaer
AlbanyIsaac Vrooman*
CharlotteDavid Hopkins*
CharlotteHamilton McCollister
CharlotteMatthew McWhorter
CharlotteIchabod Parker
Cumberlandnone
DutchessEgbert Benson*also New York State Attorney General
DutchessEbenezer Cary
DutchessSamuel Dodge*
DutchessHenry Ludington*
DutchessBrinton Paine*
DutchessGuisbert Schenck
DutchessJacobus Swartwout
GloucesternoneNo election returns from this county
KingsWilliam Boerum*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
KingsHenry Williams*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkEvert Bancker*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention;
re-elected Speaker
New YorkJohn Berrien*holding over on appointment by the State Senate
New YorkAbraham Brasher*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkDaniel Dunscomb*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkRobert Harpur*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkFrederick Jay*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkAbraham P. Lott*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkJacobus Van Zandt*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
New YorkPeter P. Van Zandt*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
OrangeJeremiah Clark
OrangeDavid Pye
OrangeBezaleel Seely*?
OrangeJohn Stagg
QueensBenjamin Birdsall*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
QueensBenjamin Coe*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
QueensPhilip Edsall*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
QueensDaniel Lawrence*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
RichmondJoshua Mersereau*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
Richmondvacant
SuffolkDavid Gelston*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkEzra L'Hommedieu*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkBurnet Miller*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkThomas Tredwell*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
SuffolkThomas Wickes*holding over on appointment by Constitutional Convention
TryonZephaniah Batchelor
TryonJacob Gardenier*
TryonAbraham Garrison
TryonJohn Moore
TryonAbraham Van Horne
TryonPeter Waggoner Jr.*
UlsterRobert Boyd Jr.*
UlsterJohn Cantine*
UlsterCornelius C. Schoonmaker*
UlsterNathan Smith*
UlsterDirck Wynkoop
Ulstervacant
WestchesterSamuel Drake*
WestchesterPhilip Pell*
WestchesterNathan Rockwell
WestchesterJoseph Strang
WestchesterThomas Thomas
WestchesterJonathan G. Tompkins

Employees