.gif)
Morgan Lewis (governor)
Encyclopedia
Morgan Lewis was an American lawyer, politician and military commander.
Of Welsh
descent, he was the son of Francis Lewis
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
. He graduated from Princeton
(then the College of New Jersey) in 1773 and began to study law on the advice of his father. His studies were interrupted by military service during the American Revolutionary War
. From September 1, 1776 to the end of the war he was a colonel and the Quartermaster
General for the Northern Department. In 1779 he married Gertrude Livingston (1757–1833), the daughter of Robert R. Livingston
.
After the Revolution, Lewis completed his legal studies and was elected to the New York State Assembly
and the New York State Senate
. He was New York State Attorney General
and later Justice and Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of New York. He served as governor of New York from 1804 to 1807, defeating Vice President Aaron Burr in the race to succeed future Vice President George Clinton as Governor. On April 30, 1807, he was defeated in his run for re-election by Daniel D. Tompkins
, also a future Vice President. Tompkins received 35,074 votes, Morgan Lewis 30,989.
During the War of 1812
Lewis resumed his duties as Quartermaster General and served in western New York. He commanded the American forces at the Battle of Fort George
. Although the British position was captured, Lewis ordered Colonel Winfield Scott
to break off the pursuit of the defeated British troops. But for Lewis's over-caution, Scott might have been able to capture Major-General John Vincent's entire division and greatly weaken the British defense of the Niagara Peninsula. Later, Lewis was appointed as commander of upstate New York.
Lewis was a Freemason, and served as Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of New York
from 1830-1843.
From 1832 to 1835 he was the President of the Historical Society of New York
.
Lewis helped to found New York University
in New York City, where he was born and where he died.
Lewis County, New York
, the Town and Village of Lewiston, New York
, and the Town of Lewis
in Essex County, New York
have been named to honor him.
Of Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
descent, he was the son of Francis Lewis
Francis Lewis
Francis Lewis was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New York....
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. He graduated from Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(then the College of New Jersey) in 1773 and began to study law on the advice of his father. His studies were interrupted by military service during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. From September 1, 1776 to the end of the war he was a colonel and the Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
General for the Northern Department. In 1779 he married Gertrude Livingston (1757–1833), the daughter of Robert R. Livingston
Robert Livingston (1718-1775)
Robert R. Livingston was a prominent politician, and a leading Whig in New York in the years leading up to the American Revolution. He was the son of Robert Livingston of Clermont and married Margaret Beekman, heir to immense tracts of land in Dutchess and Ulster counties...
.
After the Revolution, Lewis completed his legal studies and was elected to 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...
and 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...
. He was 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...
and later Justice and Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of New York. He served as governor of New York from 1804 to 1807, defeating Vice President Aaron Burr in the race to succeed future Vice President George Clinton as Governor. On April 30, 1807, he was defeated in his run for re-election by Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
, also a future Vice President. Tompkins received 35,074 votes, Morgan Lewis 30,989.
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...
Lewis resumed his duties as Quartermaster General and served in western New York. He commanded the American forces at the Battle of Fort George
Battle of Fort George
The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada...
. Although the British position was captured, Lewis ordered Colonel Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
to break off the pursuit of the defeated British troops. But for Lewis's over-caution, Scott might have been able to capture Major-General John Vincent's entire division and greatly weaken the British defense of the Niagara Peninsula. Later, Lewis was appointed as commander of upstate New York.
Lewis was a Freemason, and served as Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of New York
Grand Lodge of New York
The Grand Lodge of New York is one of 29 independent organizations of Freemasons in the U.S. state of New York. It was at one time the largest grand lodge in the world in terms of membership....
from 1830-1843.
From 1832 to 1835 he was the President of the Historical Society of New York
New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library located in New York City at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan. Founded in 1804 as New York's first museum, the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that...
.
Lewis helped to found New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in New York City, where he was born and where he died.
Lewis County, New York
Lewis County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,944 people, 10,040 households, and 7,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 15,134 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
, the Town and Village of Lewiston, New York
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, an early 19th-century governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Lewiston,...
, and the Town of Lewis
Lewis, Essex County, New York
----Lewis is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,200 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Morgan Lewis, the governor of New York at the time the town was established....
in Essex County, New York
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
have been named to honor him.
External links
- http://www.nndb.com/people/973/000051820 Morgan Lewis
- http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/bios/govmorganlewis.htm Morgan Lewis
- http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6846683 Morgan Lewis picture and gravesite
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/his/bk12/ch5/pt1.html New York history, election result 1807