Joseph Kirkland | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st & 3rdMayor of Utica | |
| In office 1834–1836 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Seymour |
| Succeeded by | John H. Ostrom |
| In office 1832–1833 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Henry Seymour |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from New York's16th district | |
| In office March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823 | |
| Preceded by | Henry R. Storrs |
| Succeeded by | John W. Cady |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1770-01-18)January 18, 1770 |
| Died | January 26, 1844(1844-01-26) (aged 74) Utica, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery |
| Party | Federalist |
| Spouse | Sarah Backus |
| Children | 12 |
| Relatives | Samuel Kirkland |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
Joseph Kirkland (January 18, 1770 – January 26, 1844) was an American politician and attorney who served as the first and third mayor ofUtica, New York from 1832 to 1833 and from 1834 to 1836. A member of theFederalist Party, he representedNew York in theU.S. House of Representatives from 1821 to 1823.
Joseph Kirkland was born on January 18, 1770, in present-dayLisbon, Connecticut.[1] Kirkland graduated fromYale College in 1790, where he studied law. The nephew ofSamuel Kirkland, he later moved toNew Hartford, New York to be closer to his uncle. Kirkland was admitted to the bar in 1794 and commenced practice in the town.[2]
Kirkland was a member of theNew York State Assembly, where he representedOneida County in the27th,28th,41st,44th, and48th New York State Legislatures.[1] In 1813, Kirkland moved to Utica and served as the District Attorney for the Sixth District of New York until 1816.[2]
Kirkland was elected to one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representingNew York's 16th district in the17th United States Congress from 1821 to 1823.[1]
Per Utica'scharter, citizens of the city would elect twelve council-members, who would then appoint a mayor to a one-year term. In March 1832, members of Utica's common council appointed Kirkland as the newly incorporated city's first mayor.[2]
During his first term, Kirkland presided over anAsiaticcholera outbreak that had spread throughout North America. Upon receiving word that the outbreak had spread toAlbany, Kirkland and the city council established a board of health and appointed a city health official.Resolutions were passed that required home, store, and stable owners to purify their properties, and temporary hospitals were set up throughout the city.[2]
The city's board of health reported that thepandemic had spread to the city in August. Schools, churches, and businesses were subsequentlyclosed, and over 3,000 residents fled the city, over a third of the city'spopulation at the time. The outbreaks caused 65 deaths out of 206 reported cases. By September, the board of health declared that the pandemic was over.[2]
Kirkland's first term as mayor ended in 1833, after the city council appointedHenry Seymour as his successor. He was later appointed to two more terms as the city's third mayor in 1834 and 1835.[2]
Kirkland was married to Sarah Backus, with whom he had twelve children. Kirkland died on January 26, 1844, in Utica, New York. He is buried atForest Hill Cemetery.[1][2]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | District Attorney of the Sixth District 1813–1816 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 16th congressional district 1821–1823 | Succeeded by |
