Samuel Beardsley

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Samuel Beardsley (February 6, 1790 – May 6, 1860) was an American attorney, judge and legislator from New York. During his career he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York Attorney General, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York, a member of the New York State Senate, and a justice of the New York Supreme Court.

Early life

Born in Hoosick, New York on February 6, 1790, the son of Obadiah Beardsley and Eunice (Moore) Beardsley.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His siblings included Levi Beardsley, who served in both the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.Template:Sfn

Beardsley's family soon moved to Monticello, an unincorporated village of Richfield, and he was educated in the local schools of his new hometown.Template:Sfn He taught school and began the study of medicine with Dr. Joseph White of Cherry Valley, but later decided to pursue a legal career, and moved to Rome, New York to study law with Judge Joshua Hathaway.Template:Sfn

Beardsley served in the 157th Regiment of the New York State Militia during the War of 1812, he rose through the ranks to become the regimental adjutant with the rank of captain.Template:Sfn He was later commissioned as a quartermaster in the United States Army, and took part in the Defense of Sacket's Harbor in 1813.Template:Sfn Beardsley was admitted to the bar in 1815 and commenced practice in Watertown, New York.Template:Sfn After his admission to the bar, he continued to serve in the militia as judge advocate of the 13th Brigade.Template:Sfn

Early career

In 1816 Beardsley returned to Rome, New York, and continued the practice of law.Template:Sfn From 1821 to 1825, he served as district attorney of Oneida County.Template:Sfn In 1822 he was elected to a one-year term in the New York State Senate (1823), and in 1823 he moved to Utica.Template:Sfn He was United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York from 1823 to 1830.Template:Sfn

Elected as a Jacksonian to the 22nd Congress, Beardsley was U. S. Representative for the fourteenth district of New York from March 4, 1831, to March 3, 1833.Template:Sfn During the 23rd and 24th United States Congresses Beardsley served as U.S. Representative for the seventeenth district from March 4, 1833, to March 29, 1836, when he resigned.Template:Sfn During the Twenty-fourth Congress he was chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary.Template:Sfn He was one of the "principal citizens" participating in the anti-abolitionist mob that broke up the 1835 meeting in Utica, called by Beriah Green, to set up a New York State Antislavery Society.Template:Rp

In 1836, Beardsley was elected by the New York State Legislature to the office of New York State Attorney General after his predecessor Greene C. Bronson became a justice of the New York Supreme Court, and he served until 1838.Template:Sfn

Later career

Elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-eighth United States Congress, Beardsley served as U. S. Representative for the twentieth district from March 4, 1843, to February 29, 1844, when he resigned to accept the appointment as associate justice of the New York Supreme Court.Template:Sfn He sat on the bench from 1844 to 1847, and was chief justice from June 29 to July 5, 1847.Template:Sfn Afterwards he resumed the practice of law in Utica and New York City.Template:Sfn

Death and burial

Beardsley died in Utica, Oneida County, New York on May 6, 1860.Template:Sfn He was interred at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, New York.Template:Sfn

Family

In 1816, Beardsley was married to Sarah Hathaway (1793-1869), the daughter of Joshua Hathaway, under whom Beardsley had studied law.Template:Sfn They were the parents of one child who lived to adulthood, Arthur.Template:Sfn Arthur Moore Beardsley became an attorney, and had a successful career in Utica and New York City.Template:Sfn

External links

• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at Find a GraveTemplate:EditAtWikidata