Alfred Conkling
Encyclopedia
Alfred Conkling was a lawyer, statesman and United States federal judge
from New York
.
, the son of Benjamin Conkling and Esther Hand. He graduated from Union College
in 1810. He was admitted to the bar in 1812, and practiced in Johnstown
from 1812 to 1813, and in Canajoharie
from 1813 to 1818. During this time he married Eliza Cockburn, and they had five children. From 1818 to 1821, Conkling was District Attorney of Montgomery County
.
, holding office from December 3, 1821, to March 3, 1823. Afterwards he resumed his private practice in the Albany
area. On August 27, 1825, Conkling received a recess appointment
from President John Quincy Adams
to the seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
vacated by the death of Roger Skinner
. Formally nominated on December 13, 1825, Conkling was confirmed by the United States Senate
on December 14, 1825, and received his commission the same day.
Judge Conkling sat in Albany from 1825 until 1836 when he moved to Auburn
. On August 25, 1852 he resigned from the bench. Conkling was then appointed U.S. Minister to Mexico
by President Millard Fillmore
, and remained on this post until 1853.
, Nebraska
. He attended the Nebraska State Constitution Convention and served as the Chairman of the state's Republican Committee.
He returned to New York in 1861 to pursue literary endeavours. Several of his writings are listed in the
biographical directory of the United States Congress. During this period he lived in Rochester
, Geneseo and Utica
. Judge Conkling died on February 5, 1874, in Utica.
A photograph of Judge Conkling hangs in the courtroom at the United States District Court in Utica, New York. He is interred at the Forest Hill Cemetery
in Utica.
U.S. Congressman from New York. Aurelian Conkling studied law and served as the Clerk of Court for the Northern District of New York in Buffalo
until his death in May 1860. Eliza Conkling married Rev. Samuel Hanson Coxe, the son of abolitionist minister, author, and educator Samuel Hanson Cox
. Margaret Cockburn Conkling (a.k.a. Mrs. Steele; born 27 January 1814; died 1890) became an accomplished author, with works such as The American Gentleman's Guide To Politeness and Fashion, Memoirs of the Mother and Wife of Washington (Auburn, N. Y., 1851-1853), Isabel; or, Trials of the Heart and a translation of Florian
's History of the Moors of Spain. Roscoe Conkling
studied law and became a powerful United States Senator and Republican political boss from New York.
Conkling's grandson Alfred Conkling Coxe, Sr.
also served as U.S. district court judge in the Northern District of New York, and later a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Coxe's own son (Conkling's great-grandson) Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr.
was a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Early life, education, and career
Alfred Conkling was born in AmagansettAmagansett, New York
Amagansett is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 1,067. Amagansett hamlet was founded in 1680.The...
, the son of Benjamin Conkling and Esther Hand. He graduated from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1810. He was admitted to the bar in 1812, and practiced in Johnstown
Johnstown (city), New York
Johnstown is a city and the county seat of Fulton County in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 Census, the city had population of 8,511. Recent estimates put the figure closer to 8,100. The city was named by its founder, Sir William Johnson after his son John Johnson...
from 1812 to 1813, and in Canajoharie
Canajoharie (town), New York
Canajoharie is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 3,730 at the 2010 census. Canajoharie is located south of the Mohawk River on the south border of the county. The Erie Canal passes along the north town line. There is a village of Canajoharie in the town...
from 1813 to 1818. During this time he married Eliza Cockburn, and they had five children. From 1818 to 1821, Conkling was District Attorney of Montgomery County
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
.
Federal government service
Conkling was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 17th United States Congress17th United States Congress
The Seventeenth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1821 to March 3, 1823, during the fifth and sixth...
, holding office from December 3, 1821, to March 3, 1823. Afterwards he resumed his private practice in the Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
area. On August 27, 1825, Conkling received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
from President John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
to the seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Northern District of New York serves one of the 94 judicial districts in the United States and one of four in the state of New York. The U.S. Attorney for the district is Richard S. Hartunian...
vacated by the death of Roger Skinner
Roger Skinner
Roger Skinner was a lawyer, statesman and United States federal judge from New York.Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, he was an attorney in private practice both in Connecticut and New York. He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1808 to 1810...
. Formally nominated on December 13, 1825, Conkling was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on December 14, 1825, and received his commission the same day.
Judge Conkling sat in Albany from 1825 until 1836 when he moved to Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
. On August 25, 1852 he resigned from the bench. Conkling was then appointed U.S. Minister to Mexico
United States Ambassador to Mexico
The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Mexico since 1823, when Andrew Jackson was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to that country. Jackson declined the appointment, however, and Joel R. Poinsett became the first U.S. envoy to Mexico in 1825. The rank...
by President Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
, and remained on this post until 1853.
Later life
Upon his return from Mexico, Conkling entered private practice in OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. He attended the Nebraska State Constitution Convention and served as the Chairman of the state's Republican Committee.
He returned to New York in 1861 to pursue literary endeavours. Several of his writings are listed in the
biographical directory of the United States Congress. During this period he lived in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Geneseo and Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. Judge Conkling died on February 5, 1874, in Utica.
A photograph of Judge Conkling hangs in the courtroom at the United States District Court in Utica, New York. He is interred at the Forest Hill Cemetery
Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica
-Notable burials:*Ezekiel Bacon , represented Massachusetts's 12th congressional district from 1807 to 1813.*William J. Bacon , represented New York's 23rd congressional district from 1877 to 1879....
in Utica.
Family legacy
Among Conkling's five children, Frederick Augustus Conkling became a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Congressman from New York. Aurelian Conkling studied law and served as the Clerk of Court for the Northern District of New York in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
until his death in May 1860. Eliza Conkling married Rev. Samuel Hanson Coxe, the son of abolitionist minister, author, and educator Samuel Hanson Cox
Samuel Hanson Cox
Samuel Hanson Cox was an American Presbyterian minister and a leading abolitionist.Cox was born in Rahway, New Jersey, of Quaker stock. After renouncing his religion and serving in the War of 1812, he studied law before entering the ministry He was pastor of the Presbyterian church at Mendham, New...
. Margaret Cockburn Conkling (a.k.a. Mrs. Steele; born 27 January 1814; died 1890) became an accomplished author, with works such as The American Gentleman's Guide To Politeness and Fashion, Memoirs of the Mother and Wife of Washington (Auburn, N. Y., 1851-1853), Isabel; or, Trials of the Heart and a translation of Florian
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian was a French poet and romance writer.-Life:...
's History of the Moors of Spain. Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling was a politician from New York who served both as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He was the leader of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party and the last person to refuse a U.S. Supreme Court appointment after he had...
studied law and became a powerful United States Senator and Republican political boss from New York.
Conkling's grandson Alfred Conkling Coxe, Sr.
Alfred Conkling Coxe, Sr.
Alfred Conkling Coxe, Sr. was longtime a federal judge in New York.Coxe was born in Auburn, New York. His legal career began with private practice in Utica from 1868. In 1870 he entered the firm of Conkling, Holmes & Coxe, of Utica, composed of Roscoe Conkling, then United States Senator, ex-Judge...
also served as U.S. district court judge in the Northern District of New York, and later a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Coxe's own son (Conkling's great-grandson) Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr.
Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr.
Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr. was a United States federal judge.Born in Utica, New York, Coxe attended Cornell Law School, and received an A.B. from Yale University in 1901...
was a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.