Ambrose Spencer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 10th district | |
| In office March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Van Rensselaer |
| Succeeded by | Albert Gallup |
| Mayor of Albany, New York | |
| In office March 10, 1824 – January 1, 1826 | |
| Preceded by | Charles E. Dudley |
| Succeeded by | James Stevenson |
| New York Attorney General | |
| In office 1802–1804 | |
| Governor | George Clinton |
| Preceded by | Josiah Ogden Hoffman |
| Succeeded by | John Woodworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1765-12-13)December 13, 1765 |
| Died | March 13, 1848(1848-03-13) (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Albany Rural Cemetery |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 6, includingJohn Canfield |
| Relatives | Philip Spencer (grandson) DeWitt Clinton (brother-in-law) John Townsend (son-in-law) |
| Alma mater | Yale College Harvard University |
Ambrose Spencer (December 13, 1765 – March 13, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician.[1]
Ambrose Spencer was born on December 13, 1765, inSalisbury in theConnecticut Colony. He was the son of Philip Spencer and Mary (née Moore) Spencer.[2] His brother was Philip Spencer.[3]
James B. Spencer (1781–1848), also a U.S Representative, was a distant cousin of his.[4]
He attendedYale College from 1779 to 1782, and graduated fromHarvard University in 1783. He studied law with John Canfield (ca.1740-1786) atSharon, Connecticut, with John Bay atClaverack, New York, and withEzekiel Gilbert atHudson, New York.[1]
He was admitted to thebar and commenced practice inHudson, New York, where he wascity clerk from 1786 until 1793. He was a member of theNew York State Assembly from 1793 to 1795, and of theNew York State Senate from 1795 to 1804.[1]
From 1796 to 1801, he was Assistant Attorney General for the Third District, comprisingColumbia andRensselaer counties. He wasNew York Attorney General from 1802 to 1804. From 1804 to 1819, he was an associate justice of theNew York Supreme Court, and chief justice from 1819 until the end of 1822.[2] He was legislated out of office by the State Constitution of 1821. GovernorJoseph C. Yates nominated him to be re-appointed, but this was rejected byBucktails majority in theState Senate, Spencer having been the longtime leader of the Clintonians.[1]
Spencer was apresidential elector in1808 and a delegate to theNew York State Constitutional Convention of 1821. On March 8, 1824, he was electedMayor of Albany, overJohn Lansing Jr., taking office on March 10, 1824. He was reelected on January 1, 1825, and served until January 1, 1826.[2]
In1825, he was the Clintonian candidate forU.S. Senator from New York, and received a majority in the State Assembly. The Bucktails majority in the State Senate did not nominate any candidate, thus preventing Spencer's election on joint ballot. The seat remained vacant until the election ofNathan Sanford in 1826. Afterwards Spencer resumed the practice of law in Albany.[5]
He was elected to the21st United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1831; during this Congress, he was a member of the Committee on Agriculture. He was one of theimpeachment managers appointed by the House of Representatives in 1830 to conduct theimpeachment proceedings against JudgeJames H. Peck of theU.S. District Court for the District of Missouri.[5]
In 1839, he moved toLyons, New York, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He presided over the1844 Whig National Convention inBaltimore, Maryland.[5]
On February 18, 1784, he married Laura Canfield (1768–1807),[2] the daughter of John Canfield (1740–1786) and Dorcas (née Buell) Canfield (1742–1812). Together, they were the parents of:[2][3]
After the death of Ambrose's first wife in 1807, in 1808 he married Mary Clinton (1773–1808), the daughter ofJames Clinton and sister of New York GovernorDeWitt Clinton, who had previously been married to Robert Burrage Norton.[2] After Mary's early death, he married her sister Katherine Clinton (1778–1837), who had previously been married to Samuel Lake Norton.[10]
In 1848, he died inLyons and was buried at theAlbany Rural Cemetery inMenands, New York.[5]
TheUniversity of Pennsylvania awarded him the degree ofLL.D. in 1819, and Harvard the same in 1821. The town ofSpencer in New York is named after him.
His grandson,Philip Spencer (1823–1842), was executed formutiny in 1842.[11] He was the grandfather of Lorrilard Spencer (1827–1888), great-grandfather of Lorrilard Spencer (1860–1912), who was married toCaroline Berryman Spencer,[12] and 2x great-grandfather ofLorillard Spencer (1883–1939), who was president ofAtlantic Aircraft and was married toKatherine Emmons Force (1891–1956), both of whom were prominent inNewport, Rhode Island, society.[13][14]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)Lorillard Spencer, prominent in New York society, died yesterday from Bright's disease at his home, 7 East Eighty-sixth Street. He had been ill since Feb. 28. ...
Mrs. Katherine Force Spencer of Chasteullux, Newport, died at her home this morning of a heart attack. She was 63 years old....
Although the engagement of Miss Katherine E. Force, daughter of Mrs. William H. Force, to Major Lorillard Spencer has never been formally announced, it has been rumored for some time, and their wedding will take place tomorrow at the home of Mrs. William K. Dick, 7 East Eighty-fourth Street. Mrs. Dick, who was formerly Mrs. John Jacob Astor, is Miss Force's sister.
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | New York Attorney General 1802–1804 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 10th congressional district 1829–1831 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
