Nathaniel Pitcher | |
|---|---|
| 8th Governor of New York | |
| In office February 11, 1828 – December 31, 1828 | |
| Lieutenant | Peter R. Livingston Charles Dayan |
| Preceded by | DeWitt Clinton |
| Succeeded by | Martin Van Buren |
| Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
| In office January 11, 1827 – February 10, 1828 | |
| Governor | DeWitt Clinton |
| Preceded by | James Tallmadge Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Peter R. Livingston (acting) |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from New York | |
| In office March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833 | |
| Preceded by | Henry C. Martindale |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Wardwell |
| Constituency | 18th district |
| In office March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823 | |
| Preceded by | John Savage |
| Succeeded by | Lewis Eaton |
| Constituency | 12th district |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly fromWashington andWarren Counties | |
| In office 1816–1818 Serving with William Cook, John Gale, Isaac Sargent,David Woods | |
| Preceded by | Michael Harris, John Reid,David Abel Russell, James Stevenson,Roswell Weston |
| Succeeded by | Duncan Cameron, Jason Kellogg, Alexander Livingston,John McLean Jr., Isaac Sargent |
| In office 1815–1816 Serving with John Gale, Henry Mattison,John Richards, Isaac Sargent | |
| Preceded by | Paul Dennis, Samuel Gordon, John Richards, John Savage, Charles Starbuck, John White |
| Succeeded by | Michael Harris, John Reid,David Abel Russell, James Stevenson, Roswell Weston |
| In office 1806–1807 Serving with Kitchel Bishop, William Livingston, John McLean, Daniel Shepherd, one vacancy | |
| Preceded by | Isaac Harlow, Jason Kellogg, William Livingston, John McLean, Solomon Smith, James Starbuck |
| Succeeded by | Kitchel Bishop, Peleg Bragg, John Gray, James Hill, Jason Kellogg, William Robards |
| Town Supervisor ofKingsbury, New York | |
| In office 1804–1810 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Bradshaw |
| Succeeded by | Felix Alden |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1777-11-30)November 30, 1777 Litchfield, Connecticut, US |
| Died | May 25, 1836(1836-05-25) (aged 58) Sandy Hill, New York, US |
| Resting place | Baker Cemetery in Hudson Falls |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Scott (1782–1815) Anna B. Merritt (1791–1824) |
| Relations | Zina Pitcher (half-brother) |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States New York |
| Branch/service |  New York State Militia |
| Years of service | 1802– |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands | 17th Brigade |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
Nathaniel Pitcher (November 30, 1777 – May 25, 1836) was an American lawyer and politician who served in Congress and as the eighthgovernor of New York from February 11 to December 31, 1828.
Pitcher was born inLitchfield, Connecticut, and raised in Sandy Hill, New York (Hudson Falls). He was educated in Sandy Hill,studied law, wasadmitted to the bar, and became an attorney. He became active in politics as aDemocratic-Republican, and served in local offices includingtown supervisor andjustice of the peace. He served in theNew York State Assembly, asprobate court judge ofWashington County, and as a federal tax assessor during theWar of 1812. He was also a longtime veteran of theNew York Militia; he served during the War of 1812, and after the war he commanded abrigade with the rank ofbrigadier general.
Pitcher served in theUnited States House of Representatives from 1819 to 1823. He becamelieutenant governor in 1827, and he succeeded to the governorship in 1828, following the death ofDeWitt Clinton. He was succeeded as governor byMartin Van Buren. Pitcher served another term in the U.S. House from 1831 to 1833. He died in Sandy Hill on May 25, 1836 and was buried at Baker Cemetery in Hudson Falls.
Pitcher was born inLitchfield on November 30, 1777.[1] He was the son of Nathaniel Pitcher Sr. (1750–1802), a veteran of theAmerican Revolution who led the detachment that capturedLake George'sFort George from the British in 1775.[2] The younger Pitcher was raised and educated in Sandy Hill, New York (nowHudson Falls).[1] Hestudied law, wasadmitted to the bar, and practiced in Sandy Hill.[3]
Pitcher entered politics as a member of theDemocratic-Republican Party, and he served asKingsbury'stown supervisor from 1804 to 1810.[1] He was a member of theNew York State Assembly from 1806 to 1807, 1815 to 1816, and 1816 to 1818.[1]
From 1812 to 1813, Pitcher served assurrogate judge ofWashington County.[1] He was Kingsbury's town clerk in 1813 and 1814, and also served as ajustice of the peace, with appointments in 1804, 1806, 1807, 1808, and 1811.[1][4] During theWar of 1812, Pitcher was appointed the federal revenue assessor for the 10th District of New York, which included Washington County, and was responsible for collecting taxes imposed to support the war effort.[5]
Pitcher's father had been active in the militia,[6] and the younger Nathaniel Pitcher followed him into military service, receiving his commission as anensign in 1802.[7] In 1808 he was appointed asadjutant of theregiment commanded by Micajah Pettit.[8] Later in 1808 he was promoted tomajor, and appointed asinspector of thebrigade commanded by Warren Ferris.[9] In 1814, Pitcher was included in a militia detail of 13,500 soldiers that was activated for federal service during military operations on theCanada-westernNew York border during theWar of 1812.[10]
In 1815, Pitcher was appointedlieutenant colonel and second in command of the militia's 121st Regiment.[11] Later in 1815, he succeeded Pettit as commander of the 17th Brigade, and was promoted tobrigadier general.[12] As a result of his military service, Pitcher was frequently referred to in public records and newspaper stories as "General Pitcher"[13] or "Gen. Pitcher".[14]
He was elected as aDemocratic-Republican to the16th and17th Congresses (March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823).[1] He was a delegate to theNew York State Constitutional Convention in 1821.[1]
Pitcher wasLieutenant Governor of New York in 1827 and 1828 and becameGovernor of New York upon the death of GovernorDeWitt Clinton.[1] He completed Clinton's term, February 11, 1828, to December 31, 1828, and was succeeded byMartin Van Buren.[1][15]
He was again elected as aJacksonian to the22nd Congress (March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833).[1]
Pitcher died in Hudson Falls on May 25, 1836,[1] and was buried at Baker Cemetery in Hudson Falls.[1]
Pitcher's first wife was Margaret Scott (1782–1815).[16] Their children included sons Augustus (1808–1876),[17] Matthew Scott (1810–1858),[18] and Montgomery Pike (1813–1841).[18]
On March 15, 1823, Pitcher was married to Anna B. Merritt (1791–1824) ofFreedom Plains, New York.[19] She became ill and died soon after giving birth to their son Edward Merritt (1824–1860).[20][21] Edward Merritt Pitcher moved toCalifornia in the 1840s, where he was an early settler ofSacramento, and a member ofSacramento County's first board of supervisors.[21][22][23]
Pitcher's siblings includedZina Pitcher, a prominent physician andmayor of Detroit.[24]
The town ofPitcher inChenango County is named for Pitcher.[25]
Pitcher is the only Governor of New York for whom no likeness is known to exist, and attempts to locate one have proved unsuccessful.[26][27] One image that is sometimes identified as a portrait of Pitcher[28] is not his likeness, as the clothing worn by the subject and the facial hair clearly date it to the 1850s–1860s era, at least 20 years after Pitcher died.[26]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 12th congressional district 1819–1823 withEzra C. Gross 1819–21 andReuben H. Walworth 1821–23 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 18th congressional district 1831–1833 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of New York 1827–1828 | Succeeded by Peter R. Livingston Acting |
| Preceded by | Governor of New York 1828 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
