120th New York State Legislature

120th New York State Legislature

New York State Capitol (1897)
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 1897
President of the State Senate: Lt. Gov. Timothy L. Woodruff (R)
Temporary President of the State Senate: Timothy E. Ellsworth (R)
Speaker of the State Assembly: James M. E. O'Grady (R)
Members: 50 Senators
150 Assemblymen
Senate Majority: Republican (36-14)
Assembly Majority: Republican (114-36)
Sessions
1st: January 6 – April 24, 1897
<119th 121st>

The 120th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 24, 1897, during the first year of Frank S. Black's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, 50 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (seven districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At the New York state election, 1895, the state officers and state senators were elected to an exceptional three-year term (for the sessions of 1896, 1897 and 1898), so that the election of these officers would be held, beginning in 1898, in even-numbered years, at the same time as the gubernatorial election.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democrats were split into two factions: the majority supported Free silver and William Jennings Bryan for U.S. President; a minority supported the Gold standard and John M. Palmer for U.S. President. The Socialist Labor Party, the Prohibition Party, and the People's Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1896 was held on November 3. Congressman Frank S. Black was elected Governor; and Timothy L. Woodruff was elected Lieutenant Governor; both Republicans.

The only other statewide elective office up for election was also carried by a Republican. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republican 788,000; Silver Democrats 570,000; Gold Democrats 27,000; Socialist Labor 18,000; Prohibition 17,000; and People's Party 5,000.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1897; and adjourned on April 24.

James M. E. O'Grady (R) was elected Speaker with 112 votes against 34 for Daniel E. Finn (D).[1]

On January 19, the Legislature elected Thomas C. Platt (R) to succeed David B. Hill (D) as U.S. Senator from New York, for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1897.

State Senate

Districts

  • 1st District: Richmond and Suffolk counties
  • 2nd District: Queens County
  • 3rd District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Ward of Brooklyn
  • 4th District: 7th, 13th, 19th and 21st Ward of Brooklyn
  • 5th District: 8th, 10th, 12th and 30th Ward of Brooklyn, and the annexed former Town of Gravesend
  • 6th District: 9th, 11th, 20th and 22nd Ward of Brooklyn
  • 7th District: 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th Ward of Brooklyn
  • 8th District: 23rd, 24th, 25th and 29th Ward of the City of Brooklyn; and the Town of Flatlands
  • 9th District: 18th, 26th, 27th and 28th Ward of Brooklyn
  • 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st District: Parts of the City of New York, defined geographically by their bordering streets, regardless of Wards or Assembly districts
  • 22nd District: Westchester County
  • 23rd District: Orange and Rockland counties
  • 24th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam and counties
  • 25th District: Greene and Ulster counties
  • 26th District: Chenango, Delaware and Sullivan counties
  • 27th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties
  • 28th District: Saratoga, Schenectady and Washington counties
  • 29th District: Albany County
  • 30th District: Rensselaer County
  • 31st District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties
  • 32nd District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties
  • 33rd District: Otsego and Herkimer counties
  • 34th District: Oneida County
  • 35th District: Jefferson and Lewis counties
  • 36th District: Onondaga County
  • 37th District: Oswego and Madison counties
  • 38th District: Broome, Cortland and Tioga counties
  • 39th District: Cayuga and Seneca counties
  • 40th District: Chemung, Schuyler and Tompkins counties
  • 41st District: Steuben and Yates counties
  • 42nd District: Ontario and Wayne counties
  • 43rd District: 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th Ward of Rochester; and the towns of Brighton, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Menden, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Rush and Webster, in Monroe County
  • 44th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 19th and 20th Ward of Rochester; and the towns of Chili, Clarkson, Gates, Greece, Hamlin, Ogden, Parma, Riga, Sweden and Wheatland, in Monroe County
  • 45th District: Genesee, Niagara and Orleans counties
  • 46th District: Allegany, Livingston and Wyoming counties
  • 47th District: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 15th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th Ward of Buffalo
  • 48th District: 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th Ward of Buffalo
  • 49th District: 17th, 18th and 25th Ward of the City of Buffalo; and all area in Erie County outside Buffalo
  • 50th District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties

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.

Senators

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

District Senator Party Notes
1st Richard Higbie* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
2nd Theodore Koehler* Democrat
3rd Frank Gallagher* Democrat
4th George W. Brush* Republican Chairman of Public Health
5th Michael J. Coffey* Democrat
6th Peter H. McNulty* Democrat
7th Patrick H. McCarren* Democrat
8th Albert A. Wray* Republican Chairman of Public Education
9th Julius L. Wieman* Republican
10th John F. Ahearn* Democrat
11th Timothy D. Sullivan* Democrat
12th Samuel J. Foley* Democrat
13th Bernard F. Martin* Democrat
14th Thomas F. Grady* Democrat
15th Frank D. Pavey* Republican Chairman of Revision
16th Louis Munzinger* Democrat
17th Charles B. Page* Republican
18th Maurice Featherson* Democrat
19th John Ford* Republican
20th Jacob A. Cantor* Democrat Minority Leader
21st Charles L. Guy* Democrat
22nd J. Irving Burns* Republican Chairman of Insurance
23rd Clarence Lexow* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
24th William C. Daley* Republican
25th Charles Davis* Republican
26th John Grant Republican elected to fill vacancy, in place of James Ballantine;
Chairman of Public Printing
27th Hobart Krum* Republican Chairman of Forest, Fish and Game Laws
28th Edgar T. Brackett* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Villages
29th Myer Nussbaum* Republican Chairman of Privileges and Elections
30th LeGrand C. Tibbits* Republican
31st George Chahoon* Republican Chairman of Trades and Manufactures
32nd George R. Malby* Republican Chairman of Codes
33rd Walter L. Brown* Republican Chairman of Miscellaneous Corporations
34th Henry J. Coggeshall* Ind. Rep.
35th Joseph Mullin* Republican Chairman of Finance; died on September 1, 1897
36th Horace White* Republican Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
37th Nevada N. Stranahan* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
38th William Elting Johnson* Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
39th Benjamin M. Wilcox* Republican Chairman of Penal Institutions
40th Edwin C. Stewart* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties
41st John S. Sheppard* Republican Chairman of Roads and Bridges
42nd John Raines* Republican Chairman of Railroads
43rd Cornelius R. Parsons* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
44th Henry Harrison* Republican
45th Timothy E. Ellsworth* Republican President pro tempore; Chairman of Rules
46th Lester H. Humphrey* Republican Chairman of Banks
47th Charles Lamy* Republican Chairman of Canals
48th Simon Seibert* Republican
49th George Allen Davis* Republican Chairman of Indian Affairs
50th Frank W. Higgins* Republican Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment

Employees

State Assembly

Assemblymen

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st Robert G. Scherer* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
2nd James B. McEwan Republican
3rd George T. Kelly* Democrat
4th Jacob D. Leversee Republican
Allegany Frederick A. Robbins* Republican
Broome 1st Charles E. Fuller Republican
2nd Charles F. Tupper* Republican
Cattaraugus 1st Charles H. Miller* Republican
2nd Girvease A. Matteson* Republican
Cayuga 1st W. Clarence Sheldon* Republican
2nd Eugene B. Rounds* Republican
Chautauqua 1st Frederick R. Peterson Republican
2nd S. Frederick Nixon* Republican Majority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means
Chemung John H. Holbert Republican
Chenango Jotham P. Allds* Republican Chairman of Excise
Clinton Everett C. Baker Republican Chairman of State Prisons
Columbia Robert Hoes Republican
Cortland Franklin P. Saunders* Republican Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
Delaware Delos H. Mackey* Republican
Dutchess 1st John A. Hanna* Republican
2nd Augustus B. Gray* Republican Chairman of Banks
Erie 1st Cornelius Coughlin* Democrat
2nd Henry W. Hill* Republican Chairman of Revision
3rd William Maloney Democrat
4th William Schneider Republican
5th Charles Braun* Republican Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
6th Nicholas J. Miller Republican
7th Henry L. Steiner* Republican Chairman of Privileges and Elections
8th Heman M. Blasdell* Republican
Essex James H. Pierce Republican previously a member from Franklin Co.
Franklin Thomas A. Sears* Republican Chairman of Claims
Fulton and Hamilton Byron D. Brown* Republican
Genesee Archie D. Sanders* Republican Chairman of Labor and Industries
Greene Newton Sweet* Republican
Herkimer Oliver H. Springer* Republican
Jefferson 1st Walter Zimmerman* Republican Chairman of Unfinished Business
2nd Cornelius J. Clark* Republican
Kings 1st Thomas H. Wagstaff* Republican
2nd John McKeown* Democrat
3rd Thomas H. Cullen* Democrat
4th George W. Wilson* Republican Chairman of Trades and Manufactures
5th John C. Knaup Republican
6th Edward H. M. Roehr Republican
7th George H. Parshall Republican
8th James Lennon, Jr.* Democrat
9th John J. Cain* Democrat
10th William L. Perkins* Republican
11th Lucien S. Bayliss Republican
12th Henry E. Abell Republican
13th Orrion L. Forrester* Republican
14th John M. Zurn* Democrat
15th Joseph Murray Republican
16th Edward C. Brennan* Republican
17th Henry Marshall* Republican
18th George J. Soper Republican
19th Frederick Schmid* Democrat
20th Frederick G. Hughes* Republican
21st Henry S. French Democrat
Lewis John S. Koster* Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
Livingston Otto Kelsey* Republican
Madison Robert J. Fish Republican
Monroe 1st Merton E. Lewis Republican
2nd James M. E. O'Grady* Republican elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
3rd William W. Armstrong* Republican Chairman of Codes
4th Frederick E. Gott Republican
Montgomery Edward L. Schmidt* Republican
New York 1st Daniel E. Finn* Democrat Minority Leader
2nd Thomas J. Barry* Democrat
3rd William H. Leonard* Democrat
4th Patrick H. Roche Democrat
5th Richard Van Cott Republican
6th Timothy P. Sullivan Democrat
7th Edward W. Hart* Democrat
8th Charles S. Adler* Republican
9th James F. Maccabe* Democrat
10th Jeremiah J. Sullivan Republican
11th William H. Gledhill* Democrat
12th Joseph Schulum* Democrat
13th Patrick F. Trainor* Democrat
14th Jacob Fritz* Democrat
15th Thomas F. Myers* Democrat
16th Benjamin Hoffman* Democrat
17th John A. Dempsey Democrat
18th John F. Daly Democrat
19th Robert Mazet Republican
20th John P. Corrigan* Democrat
21st George C. Austin* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
22nd Daniel D. Tooher Democrat
23rd Richard Gilleland Democrat
24th John B. Fitzgerald* Democrat
25th Patrick H. Murphy* Republican Chairman of Public Health
26th Patrick J. Andrews* Democrat
27th Francis E. Laimbeer* Republican
28th Joseph I. Green* Democrat
29th Lawrence E. Brown Republican
30th George W. Meyer, Jr.* Democrat
31st Harvey T. Andrews* Republican
32nd Thomas F. Donnelly* Democrat
33rd James P. Degnan Republican
34th Philip W. Reinhard, Jr. Republican
35th Douglas Mathewson Republican
Niagara 1st Henry E. Warner* Republican
2nd Frank A. Dudley* Republican Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
Oneida 1st George E. Philo Republican
2nd William Cary Sanger* Republican Chairman of Public Education
3rd William B. Graves* Republican Chairman of Indian Affairs
Onondaga 1st William J. Bellen Republican
2nd Edward G. Ten Eyck Republican
3rd Joseph Bondy* Republican Chairman of Canals
4th Edwin M. Wells* Republican
Ontario Murray Benham Republican
Orange 1st Louis F. Goodsell* Republican Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
2nd Louis Bedell* Republican Chairman of Trust Investigation
Orleans Fred L. Downs* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Villages
Oswego 1st Louis P. Taylor* Republican Chairman of Federal Relations
2nd Thomas M. Costello* Republican
Otsego Charles B. Gorham* Republican Chairman of Public Lands and Forestry
Putnam Emerson W. Addis Republican
Queens 1st Thomas F. Kennedy Democrat
2nd Harvey Stewart McKnight Republican
3rd Morton Cromwell* Republican
Rensselaer 1st Edward McGraw* Republican Chairman of Public Institutions
2nd William Hutton, Jr. Democrat
3rd George Anderson* Republican
Richmond George Garby Republican
Rockland Frederick L. Whritner Republican
St. Lawrence 1st Ira C. Miles* Republican
2nd Martin V. B. Ives* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
Saratoga George W. Kavanaugh Republican
Schenectady Thomas W. Winne* Republican
Schoharie George M. Palmer Democrat
Schuyler Oliver H. Budd* Republican
Seneca Harry M. Glen Republican Chairman of Public Printing
Steuben 1st James S. Harrison* Republican Chairman of Soldiers' Home
2nd Joel Clark* Republican
Suffolk 1st Erastus F. Post* Republican
2nd Carll S. Burr, Jr.* Republican
Sullivan George McLaughlin Republican
Tioga Daniel P. Witter* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs
Tompkins Frederick E. Bates* Republican
Ulster 1st William S. Van Keuren* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
2nd Harcourt J. Pratt Republican
Warren Taylor J. Eldridge* Republican Chairman of Railroads
Washington William R. Hobbie* Republican Chairman of Fisheries and Game
Wayne George S. Horton* Republican Chairman of General Laws
Westchester 1st Alfred E. Smith Republican
2nd Richard S. Emmet Jr. Republican died on February 7, 1897
3rd James W. Husted* Republican Chairman of Insurance
Wyoming Mortimer N. Cole* Republican
Yates Miles W. Raplee Republican

Employees

Notes

  1. ↑ O'GRADY WANTS FEWER BILLS in NYT on January 7, 1897

Sources

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