7th New York State Legislature


The 7th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 21 to May 12, 1784, during the seventh year of George Clinton's governorship, at New York City.

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. The war ended when the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. The British forces left New York City on November 25, 1783, and subsequently a special election was held to fill the seats which had been occupied by appointment.

Elections

The State election was held from April 29 to May 1, 1783. Gov. George Clinton and Lt. Gov. Pierre Van Cortlandt were re-elected again. Joseph Gasherie, Jacobus Swartwout and Assemblyman Andrew Finck were elected to the Senate.

Sessions

The State Legislature met in New York City from January 21 to May 12, 1784. On January 27, the newly elected State senators from the Southern District drew lots to define their term lengths. On April 2, the Legislature changed the name of Charlotte County to Washington County, and Tryon County to Montgomery County.

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. Ezra L'Hommedieu, Jacobus Swartwout and Andrew Finck changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
DistrictSenatorsTerm leftNotes
SouthernWilliam Floyd*1 year
SouthernEzra L'Hommedieu*1 yearelected to the Council of Appointment
SouthernAlexander McDougall1 year
SouthernJames Duane*2 yearsfrom February 1784 also Mayor of New York City
SouthernLewis Morris*3 years
SouthernIsaac Roosevelt*3 years
SouthernIsaac Stoutenburgh*4 years
SouthernSamuel Townsend4 years
SouthernStephen Ward*4 years
MiddleArthur Parks*1 year
MiddleJohn Haring*2 years
MiddleEphraim Paine*2 years
MiddleWilliam Allison*3 years
MiddleJoseph Gasherie4 years
MiddleJacobus Swartwout*4 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
Eastern*1 yeardid not attend
EasternAlexander Webster*2 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
EasternJohn Williams*3 years
WesternPhilip Schuyler*1 yearalso New York State Surveyor General
WesternHenry Oothoudt*2 years
WesternWilliam B. Whiting*2 years
WesternJacob G. Klock*3 years
WesternAbraham Yates Jr.*3 yearselected to the Council of Appointment
WesternAndrew Finck*4 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.

Assemblymen

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued as members of this Legislature.
CountyAssemblymenNotes
AlbanyMatthew Adgate*
AlbanyAbraham Becker
AlbanyAbraham Cuyler
AlbanyJacob Ford*
AlbanyJames Gordon
AlbanyJohn Lansing Jr.*
AlbanyPeter Schuyler
AlbanyDirck Swart*
AlbanyPeter Van Ness*
AlbanyChristopher Yates*
Charlotte
David Hopkins*
Charlotte
Hamilton McCollister*
Charlotte
Ebenezer Russell
Charlotte
Edward Savage
CumberlandJoel Bigelow
CumberlandElijah Prouty
CumberlandWilliam Shattuck
DutchessDirck Brinckerhoff
DutchessThomas Dennis
DutchessAnthony Hoffman
DutchessCornelius Humfrey*
DutchessEbenezer Husted*
DutchessMatthew Patterson*
DutchessThomas Storm*
GloucesternoneNo election returns from this county
KingsJohannes E. Lott
KingsRutger Van Brunt
New YorkRobert Harpur*
New YorkHenry Hughes
New YorkJohn Lambvacated his seat on March 22, 1784, upon
appointment as Collector of the Port of New York
New YorkWilliam Malcom*previously member from Ulster County
New YorkHenry Rutgers
New YorkIsaac Sears
New YorkJohn Stagg*previously member from Orange Co.
New YorkPeter P. Van Zandt*
New YorkMarinus Willettseat declared vacant on February 10, 1784, upon
appointment as Sheriff of New York County
OrangeJeremiah Clark*
OrangeGilbert Cooper*
OrangeJohn Hathorn*elected Speaker
OrangeWilliam Sickles
QueensBenjamin Coe*
QueensHendrick Onderdonck
QueensSamuel Riker
QueensJames Townsend
RichmondAdrian Bancker
RichmondJohannes Van Wagenen
SuffolkJohn Brush
SuffolkDavid Gelston*
SuffolkEbenezer Platt
SuffolkJeffrey Smith
SuffolkThomas Youngs
Tryon
Abraham Copeman
Tryon
William Harper
Tryon
James Livingston
Tryon
Isaac Paris
Tryon
Volkert Veeder
Tryon
Christopher P. Yates
UlsterJohn Cantine
UlsterCharles DeWitt*
UlsterJames Hunter*
UlsterJohn Nicholson*
UlsterCornelius C. Schoonmaker*
UlsterNathan Smith
WestchesterAbijah Gilbert*
WestchesterSamuel Haight*
WestchesterZebediah Mills*
WestchesterPhilip Pell
WestchesterEbenezer Purdy*
WestchesterThomas Thomas*

Employees