Heman J. Redfield
Encyclopedia
Heman Judd Redfield was an American politician from New York
.
who opened a land sales office in Suffield, Ct, after the Phelps and Gorham Purchase
. The Redfields exchanged their small property in Suffield for 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land in the Town of Farmington
(in that part that was later separated as Manchester
, Ontario County, New York
) and moved to the West in 1800.
He attended Canandaigua
Academy from 1808 to 1810, and then studied law with John Canfield Spencer
.
During the War of 1812
, he enlisted as a private
and fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights
, and in November 1813 at Fort George, Ontario
where he received from the commanding general William Henry Harrison
a brevet for gallant services.
He was admitted to the bar in 1815, and commenced practice at Le Roy
. On January 27, 1817, he married Abigail N. Gould (d. 1841), and they had 14 children.
He was appointed District Attorney of Genesee County in 1821. He was Postmaster of Le Roy for more than twenty years. He was a member of the New York State Senate
from 1823 to 1825.
In 1826, he was offered the position of Special Counsel to the New York State Attorney General
for the trials against the abductors of William Morgan
, but declined, recommending John Canfield Spencer
who was chosen.
On May 9, 1835, Redfield was elected a Canal Commissioner
by the New York State Legislature to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Michael Hoffman
, but he declined to take office. The Legislature adjourned on May 11, and left Governor William L. Marcy
to appoint John Bowman
instead.
When the Holland Land Company
sold out their land in 1836, he became land agent for the new proprietors and moved to Batavia, NY.
On April 14, 1846, he married Constance C. Bolles (d. 1909), and they had four children.
President Franklin Pierce
appointed Redfield Naval Officer of the Port of New York, and on November 1, 1853, Collector of the Port of New York
. He resigned on July 1, 1857, and retired from politics.
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...
.
Life
He was the son of Peleg Redfield (1762-1852) and Mary (Judd) Redfield (1765-1844). The family were neighbors of Oliver PhelpsOliver Phelps
Oliver Phelps was born in Poquonock, Connecticut and moved to Suffield, Connecticut, where he apprenticed to a local merchant. He shortly thereafter became a tavern keeper in Granville, Massachusetts. During the Revolution he was Deputy Commissary of the Continental Army and served until the end...
who opened a land sales office in Suffield, Ct, after the Phelps and Gorham Purchase
Phelps and Gorham Purchase
The Phelps and Gorham Purchase was the purchase in 1788 of the pre-emptive right to some 6,000,000 acres of land in western New York State for $1,000,000 . This was all land in western New York west of Seneca Lake between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border...
. The Redfields exchanged their small property in Suffield for 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of land in the Town of Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
(in that part that was later separated as Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
, Ontario County, New York
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
) and moved to the West in 1800.
He attended Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
Academy from 1808 to 1810, and then studied law with John Canfield Spencer
John Canfield Spencer
John Canfield Spencer was an American lawyer, politician, judge and United States Cabinet secretary in the administration of President John Tyler.-Early life:...
.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he enlisted as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
and fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights
Battle of Queenston Heights
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812 and resulted in a British victory. It took place on 13 October 1812, near Queenston, in the present-day province of Ontario...
, and in November 1813 at Fort George, Ontario
Fort George, Ontario
Fort George National Historic Site is a historic military structure at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, that was the scene of several battles during the War of 1812...
where he received from the commanding general William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
a brevet for gallant services.
He was admitted to the bar in 1815, and commenced practice at Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
. On January 27, 1817, he married Abigail N. Gould (d. 1841), and they had 14 children.
He was appointed District Attorney of Genesee County in 1821. He was Postmaster of Le Roy for more than twenty years. He was a member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1823 to 1825.
In 1826, he was offered the position of Special Counsel to the New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
for the trials against the abductors of William Morgan
William Morgan (anti-Mason)
William Morgan was a resident of Batavia, New York, whose disappearance and presumed murder in 1826 ignited a powerful movement against the Freemasons, a secret fraternal society that had become influential in the United States...
, but declined, recommending John Canfield Spencer
John Canfield Spencer
John Canfield Spencer was an American lawyer, politician, judge and United States Cabinet secretary in the administration of President John Tyler.-Early life:...
who was chosen.
On May 9, 1835, Redfield was elected a Canal Commissioner
Erie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
by the New York State Legislature to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Michael Hoffman
Michael Hoffman (congressman)
Michael Hoffman was an American lawyer and politician. He was U.S. Representative from New York from 1825 to 1833-Personal life:...
, but he declined to take office. The Legislature adjourned on May 11, and left Governor William L. Marcy
William L. Marcy
William Learned Marcy was an American statesman, who served as U.S. Senator and the 11th Governor of New York, and as the U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Secretary of State.-Early life:...
to appoint John Bowman
John Bowman (New York politician)
John Bowman was an American lawyer, banker and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of John Bowman and Ann Drake...
instead.
When the Holland Land Company
Holland Land Company
The Holland Land Company was a purchaser of the western two-thirds of the western New York land tract known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. This tract was known thereafter as The Holland Purchase...
sold out their land in 1836, he became land agent for the new proprietors and moved to Batavia, NY.
On April 14, 1846, he married Constance C. Bolles (d. 1909), and they had four children.
President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
appointed Redfield Naval Officer of the Port of New York, and on November 1, 1853, Collector of the Port of New York
Collector of the Port of New York
The Collector of Customs at the Port of New York, most often referred to as Collector of the Port of New York, sometimes also as Collector of Customs for the Port of New York or Collector of Customs for the District of New York, was a federal officer who was in charge of the collection of import...
. He resigned on July 1, 1857, and retired from politics.
Sources
- Genealogical History of the Redfield Family in the United States by John Howard Redfield & William Redfield (Munsell & Rowland, 1860) Bio of his father on pages 42ff, of Heman pages 99f
- Bio in Democracy in the United States: What it Has Done, what it is Doing, and what it Will Do by Ransom H. GilletRansom H. GilletRansom Hooker Gillet was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in New Lebanon, New York, Gillet pursued an academic course.He studied law in Canton, New York....
(D. Appleton and Company, 1868, pages 218ff) - The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 42, 125f, 144 and 374; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9806E1D91131E733A2575AC0A9629C946897D6CF His second wife's death notice, in NYT on April 9, 1909