United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1794
Encyclopedia
The 1794 United States House of Representatives elections in New York were held in December 1794, to elect ten U.S. Representatives to represent the State of New York
in the United States House of Representatives
of the 4th United States Congress
.
beginning on March 4, 1793. One representative, Silas Talbot
(10th D.), had accepted in June 1794 an appointment to the United States Navy
, and thus vacated his seat. No special election was called to fill the vacancy. The other nine representatives' term would end on March 3, 1795.
Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York
. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.
, the incumbent from the 1st District, had moved to Plattsburg and ran for re-election in the 7th District, but was defeated by the local incumbent John E. Van Alen
. Of the other incumbents, Watts was defeated; Glen, Gilbert, Bailey and Van Cortlandt were re-elected; and Peter Van Gaasbeck
and James Gordon
did not run for re-election.
Note: The Anti-Federalists called themselves "Republicans." However, at the same time, the Federalists called them "Democrats" which was meant to be pejorative. After some time both terms got more and more confused, and sometimes used together as "Democratic Republicans" which later historians have adopted (with a hyphen) to describe the party from the beginning, to avoid confusion with both the later established and still existing Democratic
and Republican
parties.
met for the first time at Congress Hall in Philadelphia on December 7, 1795, and nine of the ten representatives took their seats on this day. Only John Hathorn arrived late, and took his seat on December 17.
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...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
of the 4th United States Congress
4th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President: John Adams * President pro tempore:** Henry Tazewell , first elected December 7, 1795** Samuel Livermore , first elected May 6, 1796** William Bingham , first elected February 16, 1797...
.
Background
Ten U.S. Representatives had been elected in January 1793 to a term in the 3rd United States Congress3rd United States Congress
The Third 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...
beginning on March 4, 1793. One representative, Silas Talbot
Silas Talbot
Silas Talbot was an officer in the Continental Army and in the Continental Navy. Talbot is most famous for commanding the USS Constitution from 1798 to 1801.-Biography:...
(10th D.), had accepted in June 1794 an appointment to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and thus vacated his seat. No special election was called to fill the vacancy. The other nine representatives' term would end on March 3, 1795.
Congressional districts
On January 27, 1789, the New York State Legislature had divided the State of New York into six congressional districts which were not numbered. On December 18, 1792, the Legislature divided the State into ten districts, which were still not numbered, taking into account the new counties created in 1791. The congressional districts remained at this election the same as at the previous election, only inside the Tenth District a new county, Onondaga, was created in 1794.- One district (later back-numbered as the 1stNew York's 1st congressional districtThe 1st Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern Long Island. It includes most of Central and Eastern Suffolk County, including most of Smithtown, as well as the entirety of the towns of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southold,...
) comprising Kings, QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
and SuffolkSuffolk County, New YorkSuffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
counties. - One district (later back-numbered as the 2ndNew York's 2nd congressional districtThe 2nd Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in central Long Island. It includes all of the town of Huntington and parts of the towns of Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown in Suffolk County as well as part of the town of Oyster Bay...
) comprising New York County. - One district (later back-numbered as the 3rdNew York's 3rd congressional districtThe 3rd District of New York is generally the eastern half of Nassau County, with some parts as far west as Island Park and Long Beach. The Nassau portion contains suburban communities such as Bellmore, Bethpage, Farmingdale, Hicksville, Levittown, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Merrick, North...
) comprising WestchesterWestchester County, New YorkWestchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
and Richmond counties. - One district (later back-numbered as the 4thNew York's 4th congressional districtThe 4th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in west-central Nassau County...
) comprising OrangeOrange County, New YorkOrange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
and UlsterUlster County, New YorkUlster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
counties. - One district (later back-numbered as the 5thNew York's 5th congressional districtThe 5th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives that lies along the North Shore of Long Island. It consists of northeastern Queens County and northwestern Nassau County. The Queens portion of the district includes the...
) comprising Dutchess CountyDutchess County, New YorkDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
. - One district (later back-numbered as the 6thNew York's 6th congressional districtNew York's Sixth Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes most of Southeastern Queens including the neighborhoods of Cambria Heights, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Queens Village, Rosedale,...
) comprising Columbia CountyColumbia County, New YorkColumbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
. - One district (later back-numbered as the 7thNew York's 7th congressional districtNew York's Seventh Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It consists of parts of Northern Queens and Eastern portions of the Bronx. The Queens portion includes the neighborhoods of College Point, East Elmhurst, Jackson...
) comprising ClintonClinton County, New YorkClinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 82,128. Its name is in honor of the first Governor of New York as a state, George Clinton. Its county seat is Plattsburgh.-History:...
and RensselaerRensselaer County, New YorkRensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
counties. - One district (later back-numbered as the 8thNew York's 8th congressional districtNew York's Eighth Congressional District for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It is split into two sections. The northern portion of it includes most of Manhattan's Upper West Side, and continues south to include most parts of Hell's Kitchen, East Village, Chelsea, SoHo,...
) comprising Albany CountyAlbany County, New YorkAlbany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
. - One district (later back-numbered as the 9thNew York's 9th congressional districtNew York's 9th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes parts of southern Brooklyn and south central Queens...
) comprising WashingtonWashington County, New YorkWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
and SaratogaSaratoga County, New YorkSaratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
counties. - One district (later back-numbered as the 10thNew York's 10th congressional districtNew York's 10th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in Brooklyn, New York City. It includes the neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Heights, Brownsville, Canarsie, East New York and Ocean Hill, as well as parts of Fort...
) comprising MontgomeryMontgomery County, New YorkAs 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...
, OntarioOntario County, New YorkAs 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...
, HerkimerHerkimer County, New YorkHerkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
, OtsegoOtsego County, New YorkOtsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
, TiogaTioga County, New YorkAs of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
and OnondagaOnondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
counties.
Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of 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...
. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.
Result
6 Democratic-Republicans and 4 Federalists were elected. Thomas TredwellThomas Tredwell
Thomas Tredwell was an American lawyer and politician from Plattsburg, New York. He served in the New York State Senate and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1791 to 1795....
, the incumbent from the 1st District, had moved to Plattsburg and ran for re-election in the 7th District, but was defeated by the local incumbent John E. Van Alen
John E. Van Alen
John Evert Van Alen was an American surveyor, merchant, and politician from Rensselaer County, New York.He was born in Kinderhook, Columbia County, New York. He served in the state Assembly and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1799...
. Of the other incumbents, Watts was defeated; Glen, Gilbert, Bailey and Van Cortlandt were re-elected; and Peter Van Gaasbeck
Peter Van Gaasbeck
Peter Van Gaasbeck was an American merchant and politician from Kingston, New York. During the Revolutionary War he served as a Major in the Ulster County militia. Van Gaasbeck represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 to 1795.-External links:...
and James Gordon
James Gordon (New York)
James Gordon was an Irish-born American merchant, soldier, and politician.He was born in Killead, County Antrim, Ireland, and left in 1758, settling in Schenectady, New York. From that base and from Detroit, Michigan, he traded with various Native American tribes...
did not run for re-election.
| District | Democratic-Republican | Federalist | Democratic-Republican | Federalist | Democratic-Republican | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 New York's 1st congressional district The 1st Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern Long Island. It includes most of Central and Eastern Suffolk County, including most of Smithtown, as well as the entirety of the towns of Brookhaven, Riverhead, Southold,... |
Jonathan Nicoll Havens Jonathan Nicoll Havens Jonathan Nicoll Havens was a politician from New York.He was born on Shelter Island, New York. He graduated from Yale College in 1777. He was Shelter Island town clerk from 1783–1787 and was on the New York delegation that approved the Federal Constitution in 1788... |
815 | Samuel Jones Samuel Jones (NY comptroller) Samuel Jones was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Jones and Phoebe Jones .... |
494 | Whitehead Cornwell | 554 | John Smith John Smith (New York) John Smith was an American politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Rev. Caleb Smith, a minister at Orange, New Jersey... |
251 | ||
| 2 New York's 2nd congressional district The 2nd Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in central Long Island. It includes all of the town of Huntington and parts of the towns of Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown in Suffolk County as well as part of the town of Oyster Bay... |
Edward Livingston Edward Livingston Edward Livingston was an American jurist and statesman. He was an influential figure in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a civil code based largely on the Napoleonic Code. He represented both New York, and later Louisiana in Congress and he served as the U.S... |
1,843 | John Watts | 1,638 | ||||||
| 3 New York's 3rd congressional district The 3rd District of New York is generally the eastern half of Nassau County, with some parts as far west as Island Park and Long Beach. The Nassau portion contains suburban communities such as Bellmore, Bethpage, Farmingdale, Hicksville, Levittown, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Merrick, North... |
Philip Van Cortlandt Philip Van Cortlandt Philip Van Cortlandt was an American surveyor, landowner, and politician from Westchester County, New York.During the Revolutionary War, Colonel Cortlandt commanded the 2nd New York Regiment in the Continental Army... |
992 | Richard Morris | 972 | ||||||
| 4 New York's 4th congressional district The 4th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in west-central Nassau County... |
John Hathorn John Hathorn John Hathorn was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.-Life:... |
1,519 | Conrad E. Elmendorf | 583 | Peter Gansevoort Peter Gansevoort Peter Gansevoort was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for leading the resistance to Barry St. Leger's Siege of Fort Stanwix in 1777. Gansevoort was also the maternal grandfather of Moby-Dick author Herman Melville.-Early life:He was born... |
2 | William Thompson | 41 | ||
| 5 New York's 5th congressional district The 5th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives that lies along the North Shore of Long Island. It consists of northeastern Queens County and northwestern Nassau County. The Queens portion of the district includes the... |
Theodorus Bailey Theodorus Bailey (senator) Theodorus Bailey was an American lawyer and politician from Poughkeepsie, New York. He represented New York in both the U.S. House and Senate... |
1,449 | David Brooks David Brooks (politician) David Brooks was an officer in the Continental Army in the American Revolution and a United States representative from New York.... |
1,090 | ||||||
| 6 New York's 6th congressional district New York's Sixth Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes most of Southeastern Queens including the neighborhoods of Cambria Heights, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Queens Village, Rosedale,... |
John Bay | 441 | Ezekiel Gilbert Ezekiel Gilbert Ezekiel Gilbert was an American lawyer and politician from Hudson, New York. He served in the state Assembly and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1797.... |
1,168 | Mathew Adgate | 419 | ||||
| 7 New York's 7th congressional district New York's Seventh Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It consists of parts of Northern Queens and Eastern portions of the Bronx. The Queens portion includes the neighborhoods of College Point, East Elmhurst, Jackson... |
Thomas Tredwell Thomas Tredwell Thomas Tredwell was an American lawyer and politician from Plattsburg, New York. He served in the New York State Senate and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1791 to 1795.... |
298 | John E. Van Alen John E. Van Alen John Evert Van Alen was an American surveyor, merchant, and politician from Rensselaer County, New York.He was born in Kinderhook, Columbia County, New York. He served in the state Assembly and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1799... |
1,109 | ||||||
| 8 New York's 8th congressional district New York's Eighth Congressional District for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It is split into two sections. The northern portion of it includes most of Manhattan's Upper West Side, and continues south to include most parts of Hell's Kitchen, East Village, Chelsea, SoHo,... |
Abraham Yates Abraham Yates Abraham Yates was an American lawyer and civil servant from Albany, New York.-Biography:He was baptised August 23, 1724 in Albany, New York, the son of Christoffel Yates and Catelyntje Winne.... |
20 | Henry Glen Henry Glen Henry Glen was an American merchant, county clerk, and politician from Schenectady, New York. He served in the state Assembly and represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1801.... |
677 | John Tayler John Tayler John Tayler was a merchant and politician. He served nine years as Lieutenant Governor of New York, four months as Acting Governor of New York, and also in both houses of the New York State Legislature.-Life:... |
19 | James Fairlie | 4 | ||
| 9 New York's 9th congressional district New York's 9th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes parts of southern Brooklyn and south central Queens... |
John Williams | 1,297 | Ebenezer Russell | 1,079 | Alexander Webster | 305 | ||||
| 10 New York's 10th congressional district New York's 10th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in Brooklyn, New York City. It includes the neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Heights, Brownsville, Canarsie, East New York and Ocean Hill, as well as parts of Fort... |
John Winn | 1,426 | William Cooper William Cooper (judge) William Cooper was the founder of Cooperstown, New York and father of writer James Fenimore Cooper, who apparently used his father as the pattern for the Judge Marmaduke Temple character in his book The Pioneers.... |
2,535 | Jonathan Fitch | 40 | James Cochran James Cochran (New York) James Cochran was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He was born in Albany, New York on February 11, 1769. He graduated from Columbia College in New York City in 1778. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and was commissioned as a... |
535 | ||
Note: The Anti-Federalists called themselves "Republicans." However, at the same time, the Federalists called them "Democrats" which was meant to be pejorative. After some time both terms got more and more confused, and sometimes used together as "Democratic Republicans" which later historians have adopted (with a hyphen) to describe the party from the beginning, to avoid confusion with both the later established and still existing Democratic
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...
and Republican
Republican 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...
parties.
Aftermath
The House of Representatives of the 4th United States Congress4th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President: John Adams * President pro tempore:** Henry Tazewell , first elected December 7, 1795** Samuel Livermore , first elected May 6, 1796** William Bingham , first elected February 16, 1797...
met for the first time at Congress Hall in Philadelphia on December 7, 1795, and nine of the ten representatives took their seats on this day. Only John Hathorn arrived late, and took his seat on December 17.
Sources
- The New York Civil List compiled in 1858 (see: pg. 65 for district apportionment; pg. 68 for Congressmen)
- Members of the Fourth United States Congress
- Election result 1st D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 2nd D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 3rd D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 4th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 5th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 6th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 7th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 8th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 9th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes" - Election result 10th D. at Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Library project "A New Nation Votes"