James I. Roosevelt
Encyclopedia
James John Roosevelt, known as James I., (December 14, 1795 – April 5, 1875) was an American
politician, jurist, businessman, and member of the Roosevelt family
. He was the granduncle of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
.
James I (the Roman numeral was used to distinguish him from others of the same name) was born on December 14, 1795 in New York City
to Jacobus James Roosevelt and Maria Van Schaak and baptized at the Dutch Reformed Church. He was a great-grandson of Johannes Roosevelt
(the founder of the Oyster Bay branch of the family) and a granduncle of Theodore Roosevelt
through his brother Cornelius
. He was also the uncle of Robert Barnwell Roosevelt.
Roosevelt graduated from Columbia College
in 1815 and was admitted to the bar
in 1818, becoming a partner of Peter Jay (son of John Jay
), with a practice in New York City
. An active Democrat
, he campaigned for Andrew Jackson
for president in 1828. He was elected alderman
in 1828 and 1830, was a member of the New York State Assembly
in 1835 and 1840, and served in the United States Congress
from 1841 to 1843 (he declined to seek reelection). As a jurist, he became a justice of the New York Supreme Court
in 1851, and during one term was ex-officio judge of the State Court of Appeals. From 1860 to 1861, he was United States District Attorney
for Southern New York. He studied foreign law in the courts of England
, Holland, and France
. In business, Roosevelt followed in the tradition of his father as a hardware merchant. He engaged in farming after retiring. He was the first president of Roosevelt Hospital, which was founded by his cousin James H. Roosevelt
.
He married Cornelia Van Ness, the daughter of Cornelius P. Van Ness
, celebrated for her beauty and grace, on May 30, 1831 in Paris
; General Lafayette was among the guests. James and Cornelia had eleven children, all but three of whom died in childhood or early adulthood. Their son Charles Yates Roosevelt had a daughter Cornelia, who married Baron Von Leditz of Austria, who was drowned in a collision with the German emperor's yacht in 1901. James Roosevelt died on April 5, 1875 in New York City when he broke his thigh bone in a fall and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. His wife died on February 14, 1876 in Paris.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, jurist, businessman, and member of the Roosevelt family
Roosevelt family
In heraldry, canting arms are a visual or pictorial play on a surname, and were and still are a popular practice. It would be common to find roses, then, in arms of many Roosevelt families, even unrelated ones...
. He was the granduncle of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
.
James I (the Roman numeral was used to distinguish him from others of the same name) was born on December 14, 1795 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Jacobus James Roosevelt and Maria Van Schaak and baptized at the Dutch Reformed Church. He was a great-grandson of Johannes Roosevelt
Johannes Roosevelt
Johannes Roosevelt , known as John Roosevelt, was a New York City businessman and alderman and the progenitor of the Oyster Bay Roosevelts, including Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt. Johannes was a linseed oil manufacturer....
(the founder of the Oyster Bay branch of the family) and a granduncle of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
through his brother Cornelius
Cornelius Roosevelt
Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt was an American businessman from New York City and a member of the Roosevelt family.-Biography:...
. He was also the uncle of Robert Barnwell Roosevelt.
Roosevelt graduated from Columbia College
Columbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
in 1815 and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1818, becoming a partner of Peter Jay (son of John Jay
John Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
), with a practice in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. An active Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he campaigned for Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
for president in 1828. He was elected alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1828 and 1830, was a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1835 and 1840, and served in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from 1841 to 1843 (he declined to seek reelection). As a jurist, he became a justice of the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
in 1851, and during one term was ex-officio judge of the State Court of Appeals. From 1860 to 1861, he was United States District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for Southern New York. He studied foreign law in the courts of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Holland, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In business, Roosevelt followed in the tradition of his father as a hardware merchant. He engaged in farming after retiring. He was the first president of Roosevelt Hospital, which was founded by his cousin James H. Roosevelt
James H. Roosevelt
James Henry Roosevelt was an American philanthropist who, by bequest, founded Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. He was born in New York to Catherine and James Christopher Roosevelt, a grandson of Jacobus Roosevelt, the founder of the Hyde Park branch of the Roosevelt family. James H...
.
He married Cornelia Van Ness, the daughter of Cornelius P. Van Ness
Cornelius P. Van Ness
Cornelius Peter Van Ness was an American politician of Dutch descent from the US state of Vermont. Van Ness was a Democratic Republican. He is the father of James Van Ness who was a Mayor of San Francisco.-Biography:...
, celebrated for her beauty and grace, on May 30, 1831 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
; General Lafayette was among the guests. James and Cornelia had eleven children, all but three of whom died in childhood or early adulthood. Their son Charles Yates Roosevelt had a daughter Cornelia, who married Baron Von Leditz of Austria, who was drowned in a collision with the German emperor's yacht in 1901. James Roosevelt died on April 5, 1875 in New York City when he broke his thigh bone in a fall and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. His wife died on February 14, 1876 in Paris.