John C. Jacobs
Encyclopedia
John C. Jacobs was an American politician from New York
.
in Albany, New York
, and was its war correspondent
, accompanying the Peninsular Campaign. In 1865, he transferred to the New York World
.
He was a Democratic member from Kings County of the New York State Assembly
from 1867 to 1873. He was Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, participated in the corrupt proceedings of the Tweed Ring, and received bribes, for example a check for 2200 USD in June 1870.
He was a member of the New York State Senate
from 1874 to 1885, and from 1890 to 1891. He was a delegate to the 1876 Democratic National Convention
.
He was Chairman of the Democratic state convention in 1879, and was proposed as a compromise candidate for Governor, attempting to unite the Democratic Party which was split into factions led by Gov. Lucius Robinson
and Tammany leader John Kelly
. The Tammany followers had him nominated "by acclamation", but Jacobs declined. Later Robinson was nominated by the Democrats, and Kelly ran as an Independent, leading to the election of Republican Alonzo B. Cornell
with less votes than Robinson and Kelly together.
In 1882, the Democrats achieved a small majority in the State Senate which had 17 Democratic and 15 Republican members. On January 2, 14 of the Democratic senators met in caucus and nominated Jacobs for President pro tem
. The other three senators were absent, following instructions from Tammany Hall
leader John Kelly
, who objected to Jacobs. On January 3, the State Senate convened and, on motion of Jacobs, suspended Rule 3 which gave the Lieutenant Governor the right to appoint the standing committees. Thereafter, the elections of the Clerk and the President pro tempore of the State Senate were deadlocked, with the majority of the Democrats holding on to Jacobs, the Tammany men voting for John G. Boyd, and the Republicans for Dennis McCarthy
. Thus the senate could not be organized, although the Lieutenant Governor presided, but after the suspension of Rule 3 no committees could be appointed, and all legislative work was blocked. The deadlock was broken on February 15 when the Republicans and the Tammany men voted to restore Rule 3, and rumors of a bargain appeared. On February 20, John W. Vrooman
, the Republican Clerk of the previous year, was re-elected by the Republicans and the Tammany men. On February 21, Lt. Gov. George G. Hoskins announced the members of the committees, giving 5 out of 15 chairmanships to the three Tammany men, and no President pro tempore was chosen for this session.
On October 20, 1886, he married Rosalia Marie Sanger.
In 1892 he removed to Atlantic City, NJ, because of his failing health, and died there from Bright's disease
.
After his death, it was alleged that 17-year-old William Warren was his son with an unknown mother.
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
In 1857, he became a reporter for the New York Express, was the paper's correspondentCorrespondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
in Albany, New York
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...
, and was its war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
, accompanying the Peninsular Campaign. In 1865, he transferred to the New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
.
He was a Democratic member from Kings County 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...
from 1867 to 1873. He was Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, participated in the corrupt proceedings of the Tweed Ring, and received bribes, for example a check for 2200 USD in June 1870.
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 1874 to 1885, and from 1890 to 1891. He was a delegate to the 1876 Democratic National Convention
1876 Democratic National Convention
The 1876 Democratic National Convention assembled in St. Louis just nine days after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention. The convention opened with three contenders, Bourbon Democrat Samuel J. Tilden of New York, Thomas Hendricks of Indiana and Union General Winfield S. Hancock of...
.
He was Chairman of the Democratic state convention in 1879, and was proposed as a compromise candidate for Governor, attempting to unite the Democratic Party which was split into factions led by Gov. Lucius Robinson
Lucius Robinson
Lucius Robinson was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 26th Governor of New York from 1877 to 1879.-Life:...
and Tammany leader John Kelly
John Kelly (U.S. politician)
John Kelly of New York City, known as "Honest John", was a boss of Tammany Hall and a U.S. Representative from New York from 1855 to 1858-Career:...
. The Tammany followers had him nominated "by acclamation", but Jacobs declined. Later Robinson was nominated by the Democrats, and Kelly ran as an Independent, leading to the election of Republican Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.-Early years:...
with less votes than Robinson and Kelly together.
In 1882, the Democrats achieved a small majority in the State Senate which had 17 Democratic and 15 Republican members. On January 2, 14 of the Democratic senators met in caucus and nominated Jacobs for President pro tem
Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
The Majority Leader of the New York State Senate is elected by the majority of the members of the New York State Senate. The position usually coincides with the title of Temporary President of the State Senate, who presides over the session of the State Senate if the Lieutenant Governor of New York...
. The other three senators were absent, following instructions from Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
leader John Kelly
John Kelly (U.S. politician)
John Kelly of New York City, known as "Honest John", was a boss of Tammany Hall and a U.S. Representative from New York from 1855 to 1858-Career:...
, who objected to Jacobs. On January 3, the State Senate convened and, on motion of Jacobs, suspended Rule 3 which gave the Lieutenant Governor the right to appoint the standing committees. Thereafter, the elections of the Clerk and the President pro tempore of the State Senate were deadlocked, with the majority of the Democrats holding on to Jacobs, the Tammany men voting for John G. Boyd, and the Republicans for Dennis McCarthy
Dennis McCarthy (congressman)
Dennis McCarthy was an American manufacturer and politician from New York.-Life:...
. Thus the senate could not be organized, although the Lieutenant Governor presided, but after the suspension of Rule 3 no committees could be appointed, and all legislative work was blocked. The deadlock was broken on February 15 when the Republicans and the Tammany men voted to restore Rule 3, and rumors of a bargain appeared. On February 20, John W. Vrooman
John W. Vrooman
John Wright Vrooman was an American lawyer, banker and politician from New York.-Life:...
, the Republican Clerk of the previous year, was re-elected by the Republicans and the Tammany men. On February 21, Lt. Gov. George G. Hoskins announced the members of the committees, giving 5 out of 15 chairmanships to the three Tammany men, and no President pro tempore was chosen for this session.
On October 20, 1886, he married Rosalia Marie Sanger.
In 1892 he removed to Atlantic City, NJ, because of his failing health, and died there from Bright's disease
Bright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
.
After his death, it was alleged that 17-year-old William Warren was his son with an unknown mother.
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/jacobs.html Political Graveyard
- Life Sketches of State Officers, Senators, and Members of Assembly in the State of New York in 1867 by S. R. Harlow and H. H. Boone (pages 280f; Weed, Parsons & Co., Albany NY, 1867)
- The New York Red Book (J.B. Lyon Co., 1977) (lists Jacobs for 1883 as President pro tem)
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9401E5D6163DE43BBC4151DFB6678388669FDE The bribes paid by the Tweed Ring, in NYT on October 29, 1873
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9507E2DD103EE73BBC4A52DFBF668382669FDE "The John C. Jacobs Incident" at the Dem. State Convention, in NYT on September 12, 1879
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B03E5D7113CEE3ABC4B53DFB7668389699FDE Jacobs nominated in Dem. caucus, in NYT on January 3, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9507E3D7113CEE3ABC4C53DFB7668389699FDE The senate convenes, in NYT on January 4, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C0CEFDF123BE033A25755C2A9679C94639FD7CF Still deadlocked, in NYT on January 26, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9802E1DF1E3CEE3ABC4B53DFB4668389699FDE Speaker elected but senate still deadlocked, in NYT on February 3, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D07EFDE113EE433A25755C1A9649C94639FD7CF Rule 3 restored, in NYT on February 16, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=990DE3D81331E03ABC4951DFB4668389699FDE Vrooman elected clerk, in NYT on February 21, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9400E1D81331E03ABC4A51DFB4668389699FDE Committees announced by Lt. Gov., in NYT on February 22, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A01EFD81331E03ABC4C51DFB4668389699FDE The "bargain", in NYT on February 24, 1882
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9403E3D81E3EEF33A25751C2A9669D94679FD7CF Marriage notice, in NYT on October 22, 1886
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F00E1DC1131E033A25750C2A96F9C94659ED7CF Obit in NYT on September 23, 1894
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9401E5D91231E033A25756C2A9649D94659ED7CF The alleged son, in NYT on December 25, 1894