120th New York State Legislature explained

Number:120th
Imagedate:1897
Start:January 1
End:December 31, 1897
Vp:Lt. Gov. Timothy L. Woodruff (R)
Pro Tem:Timothy E. Ellsworth (R)
Speaker:James M. E. O'Grady (R)
Senators:50
Reps:150
S-Majority:Republican (36-14)
H-Majority:Republican (114-36)
Sessionnumber1:1st
Sessionstart1:January 6
Sessionend1:April 24, 1897
Previous:119th
Next: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

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)..."

DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stRichard HigbieRepublicanChairman of Agriculture
2ndTheodore KoehlerDemocrat
3rdFrank GallagherDemocrat
4thGeorge W. BrushRepublicanChairman of Public Health
5thMichael J. CoffeyDemocrat
6thPeter H. McNultyDemocrat
7thPatrick H. McCarrenDemocrat
8thAlbert A. WrayRepublicanChairman of Public Education
9thJulius L. WiemanRepublican
10thJohn F. AhearnDemocrat
11thTimothy D. SullivanDemocrat
12thSamuel J. FoleyDemocrat
13thBernard F. MartinDemocrat
14thThomas F. GradyDemocrat
15thFrank D. PaveyRepublicanChairman of Revision
16thLouis MunzingerDemocrat
17thCharles B. PageRepublican
18thMaurice FeathersonDemocrat
19thJohn FordRepublican
20thJacob A. CantorDemocratMinority Leader
21stCharles L. GuyDemocrat
22ndJ. Irving BurnsRepublicanChairman of Insurance
23rdClarence LexowRepublicanChairman of Judiciary
24thWilliam C. DaleyRepublican
25thCharles DavisRepublican
26thJohn GrantRepublicanelected to fill vacancy, in place of James Ballantine;
Chairman of Public Printing
27thHobart KrumRepublicanChairman of Forest, Fish and Game Laws
28thEdgar T. BrackettRepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages
29thMyer NussbaumRepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections
30thLeGrand C. TibbitsRepublican
31stGeorge ChahoonRepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures
32ndGeorge R. MalbyRepublicanChairman of Codes
33rdWalter L. BrownRepublicanChairman of Miscellaneous Corporations
34thHenry J. CoggeshallInd. Rep.
35thJoseph MullinRepublicanChairman of Finance; died on September 1, 1897
36thHorace WhiteRepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
37thNevada N. StranahanRepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities
38thWilliam Elting JohnsonRepublicanChairman of Military Affairs
39thBenjamin M. WilcoxRepublicanChairman of Penal Institutions
40thEdwin C. StewartRepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties
41stJohn S. SheppardRepublicanChairman of Roads and Bridges
42ndJohn RainesRepublicanChairman of Railroads
43rdCornelius R. ParsonsRepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation
44thHenry HarrisonRepublican
45thTimothy E. EllsworthRepublicanPresident pro tempore; Chairman of Rules
46thLester H. HumphreyRepublicanChairman of Banks
47thCharles LamyRepublicanChairman of Canals
48thSimon SeibertRepublican
49thGeorge Allen DavisRepublicanChairman of Indian Affairs
50thFrank W. HigginsRepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment

Employees

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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

DistrictAssemblymenPartyNotes
Albany1stRobert G. SchererRepublicanChairman of Judiciary
2ndJames B. McEwanRepublican
3rdGeorge T. KellyDemocrat
4thJacob D. LeverseeRepublican
AlleganyFrederick A. RobbinsRepublican
Broome1stCharles E. FullerRepublican
2ndCharles F. TupperRepublican
Cattaraugus1stCharles H. MillerRepublican
2ndGirvease A. MattesonRepublican
Cayuga1stW. Clarence SheldonRepublican
2ndEugene B. RoundsRepublican
Chautauqua1stFrederick R. PetersonRepublican
2ndS. Frederick NixonRepublicanMajority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means
ChemungJohn H. HolbertRepublican
ChenangoJotham P. AlldsRepublicanChairman of Excise
ClintonEverett C. BakerRepublicanChairman of State Prisons
ColumbiaRobert HoesRepublican
CortlandFranklin P. SaundersRepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
DelawareDelos H. MackeyRepublican
Dutchess1stJohn A. HannaRepublican
2ndAugustus B. GrayRepublicanChairman of Banks
Erie1stCornelius CoughlinDemocrat
2ndHenry W. HillRepublicanChairman of Revision
3rdWilliam MaloneyDemocrat
4thWilliam SchneiderRepublican
5thCharles BraunRepublicanChairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
6thNicholas J. MillerRepublican
7thHenry L. SteinerRepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections
8thHeman M. BlasdellRepublican
EssexJames H. PierceRepublicanpreviously a member from Franklin Co.
FranklinThomas A. SearsRepublicanChairman of Claims
Fulton and HamiltonByron D. BrownRepublican
GeneseeArchie D. SandersRepublicanChairman of Labor and Industries
GreeneNewton SweetRepublican
HerkimerOliver H. SpringerRepublican
Jefferson1stWalter ZimmermanRepublicanChairman of Unfinished Business
2ndCornelius J. ClarkRepublican
Kings1stThomas H. WagstaffRepublican
2ndJohn McKeownDemocrat
3rdThomas H. CullenDemocrat
4thGeorge W. WilsonRepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures
5thJohn C. KnaupRepublican
6thEdward H. M. RoehrRepublican
7thGeorge H. ParshallRepublican
8thJames Lennon Jr.Democrat
9thJohn J. CainDemocrat
10thWilliam L. PerkinsRepublican
11thLucien S. BaylissRepublican
12thHenry E. AbellRepublican
13thOrrion L. ForresterRepublican
14thJohn M. ZurnDemocrat
15thJoseph MurrayRepublican
16thEdward C. BrennanRepublican
17thHenry MarshallRepublican
18thGeorge J. SoperRepublican
19thFrederick SchmidDemocrat
20thFrederick G. HughesRepublican
21stHenry S. FrenchDemocrat
LewisJohn S. KosterRepublicanChairman of Military Affairs
LivingstonOtto KelseyRepublican
MadisonRobert J. FishRepublican
Monroe1stMerton E. LewisRepublican
2ndJames M. E. O'GradyRepublicanelected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
3rdWilliam W. ArmstrongRepublicanChairman of Codes
4thFrederick E. GottRepublican
MontgomeryEdward L. SchmidtRepublican
New York1stDaniel E. FinnDemocratMinority Leader
2ndThomas J. BarryDemocrat
3rdWilliam H. LeonardDemocrat
4thPatrick H. RocheDemocrat
5thRichard Van CottRepublican
6thTimothy P. SullivanDemocrat
7thEdward W. HartDemocrat
8thCharles S. AdlerRepublican
9thJames F. MaccabeDemocrat
10thJeremiah J. SullivanRepublican
11thWilliam H. GledhillDemocrat
12thJoseph SchulumDemocrat
13thPatrick F. TrainorDemocrat
14thJacob FritzDemocrat
15thThomas F. MyersDemocrat
16thBenjamin HoffmanDemocrat
17thJohn A. DempseyDemocrat
18thJohn F. DalyDemocrat
19thRobert MazetRepublican
20thJohn P. CorriganDemocrat
21stGeorge C. AustinRepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities
22ndDaniel D. TooherDemocrat
23rdRichard GillelandDemocrat
24thJohn B. FitzgeraldDemocrat
25thPatrick H. MurphyRepublicanChairman of Public Health
26thPatrick J. AndrewsDemocrat
27thFrancis E. LaimbeerRepublican
28thJoseph I. GreenDemocrat
29thLawrence E. BrownRepublican
30thGeorge W. Meyer Jr.Democrat
31stHarvey T. AndrewsRepublican
32ndThomas F. DonnellyDemocrat
33rdJames P. DegnanRepublican
34thPhilip W. Reinhard Jr.Republican
35thDouglas MathewsonRepublican
Niagara1stHenry E. WarnerRepublican
2ndFrank A. DudleyRepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
Oneida1stGeorge E. PhiloRepublican
2ndWilliam Cary SangerRepublicanChairman of Public Education
3rdWilliam B. GravesRepublicanChairman of Indian Affairs
Onondaga1stWilliam J. BellenRepublican
2ndEdward G. Ten EyckRepublican
3rdJoseph BondyRepublicanChairman of Canals
4thEdwin M. WellsRepublican
OntarioMurray BenhamRepublican
Orange1stLouis F. GoodsellRepublicanChairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
2ndLouis BedellRepublicanChairman of Trust Investigation
OrleansFred L. DownsRepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages
Oswego1stLouis P. TaylorRepublicanChairman of Federal Relations
2ndThomas M. CostelloRepublican
OtsegoCharles B. GorhamRepublicanChairman of Public Lands and Forestry
PutnamEmerson W. AddisRepublican
Queens1stThomas F. KennedyDemocrat
2ndHarvey Stewart McKnightRepublican
3rdMorton CromwellRepublican
Rensselaer1stEdward McGrawRepublicanChairman of Public Institutions
2ndWilliam Hutton Jr.Democrat
3rdGeorge AndersonRepublican
RichmondGeorge GarbyRepublican
RocklandFrederick L. WhritnerRepublican
St. Lawrence1stIra C. MilesRepublican
2ndMartin V. B. IvesRepublicanChairman of Agriculture
SaratogaGeorge W. KavanaughRepublican
SchenectadyThomas W. WinneRepublican
SchoharieGeorge M. PalmerDemocrat
SchuylerOliver H. BuddRepublican
SenecaHarry M. GlenRepublicanChairman of Public Printing
Steuben1stJames S. HarrisonRepublicanChairman of Soldiers' Home
2ndJoel ClarkRepublican
Suffolk1stErastus F. PostRepublican
2ndCarll S. Burr Jr.Republican
SullivanGeorge McLaughlinRepublican
TiogaDaniel P. WitterRepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs
TompkinsFrederick E. BatesRepublican
Ulster1stWilliam S. Van KeurenRepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation
2ndHarcourt J. PrattRepublican
WarrenTaylor J. EldridgeRepublicanChairman of Railroads
WashingtonWilliam R. HobbieRepublicanChairman of Fisheries and Game
WayneGeorge S. HortonRepublicanChairman of General Laws
Westchester1stAlfred E. SmithRepublican
2ndRichard S. Emmet Jr.Republicandied on February 7, 1897
3rdJames W. HustedRepublicanChairman of Insurance
WyomingMortimer N. ColeRepublican
YatesMiles W. RapleeRepublican

Employees

Notes

  1. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1897/01/07/105941191.pdf O'GRADY WANTS FEWER BILLS

Sources

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