Samuel B. Ruggles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly fromNew York County | |
| In office January 1, 1838 (1838-01-01) – December 31, 1838 (1838-12-31) | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Samuel Bulkley Ruggles (1799-04-11)April 11, 1799 New Milford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | August 28, 1881(1881-08-28) (aged 82) Fire Island,New York, U.S. |
| Party | Whig |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Charles Ruggles (cousin) |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
| Known for | CreatedGramercy Park |
Samuel Bulkley Ruggles (April 11, 1799 – August 28, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a member of theNew York State Assembly in 1838, and aCanal Commissioner from 1839 to 1842 and in 1858. As a large landholder, he donated the land for the creation ofGramercy Park in New York City. Its restrictive covenant has preserved it through much development nearby. He was a member of the city'sChamber of Commerce, which published his reports on economics and public policy. In the 1860s, he represented the United States at several international conferences on economics and statistics in Europe.
Samuel Ruggles was born inNew Milford,Litchfield County, Connecticut, of an old New England family.[1] He was the son of Ellen (née Bulkley) Ruggles and Philo Ruggles (1765–1829), who became Surrogate and District Attorney ofDutchess County, New York.[2] Chief JudgeCharles H. Ruggles was his cousin.
Samuel was a precocious student and graduated fromYale College in 1814 at the age of 14. Although he read for the law, he had to wait to be admitted to the bar until he came of age in 1821.[2]
Ruggles became a successful lawyer in New York City for several years and accumulated large landholdings, but eventually gave up the practice of law for public affairs.
Ruggles was aWhig member fromNew York County of theNew York State Assembly, sitting in the61st New York State Legislature in 1838, and was Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.
In 1839, he was elected by theNew York State Legislature as aCanal Commissioner to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofStephen Van Rensselaer. In 1840, he was the only canal commissioner to remain in office when the new Whig majority removed allDemocratic commissioners. In 1842, the Whig commissioners, including Ruggles, were removed by the Democrats.
After leaving the Canal Commission, Ruggles became a member of theNew York Chamber of Commerce. There he wrote numerous pamphlets and articles about public policy, economics and related issues, which were published by the Chamber.
He became a trustee of Columbia College. In 1854, concerned about its decline in enrollment and number of faculty in mid-century, and its trustees' decision against appointing a respected scientist, Dr.Oliver Wolcott Gibbs, because he wasUnitarian, that year Ruggles self-published the 60-page pamphlet, "The Duty of Columbia College to the Community". It had started as a letter to the trustees but he decided to expand it and publish it.[3] He urged appointment of Gibbs on the basis of his qualifications and also the upgrading of Columbia's curriculum to include more of the physical sciences, and made a plea for a strong college. At the time, some people considered Gibbs' Unitarian orientation controversial. The university has long been secular.
In July 1858, Ruggles was appointed by GovernorJohn Alsop King as a canal commissioner again, this time to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofSamuel S. Whallon, and he served briefly until the end of the year.
In the 1860s, Ruggles was selected as a United States delegate and representative to several European assemblies, such as the International Statistics Congress in Berlin in 1863, theParis Exposition of 1867, and the 1869 International Statistics Conference atThe Hague.
As a large landholder in New York City, Ruggles createdGramercy Park, dedicated in 1831, to which he personally donated the land. He deeded the property to the city with a covenant restricting surrounding uses to residential and providing that the residents be taxed to maintain the park.[4] He was also instrumental in gettingUnion Square established. Of the parks and squares he said,
Come what will, our open squares will remain forever imperishable. Buildings, towers, palaces, may moulder and crumble beneath the touch of time; but space—free, glorious, open space—will remain to bless the City forever.[2]
On May 15, 1822,[5] Ruggles was married to Mary Rosalie Rathbone (1800–1878), the daughter of prominent merchant John Rathbone Sr.[1][6] Together, they were the parents of:[7]
Ruggles died on August 28, 1881, at the Surf Hotel onFire Island where he spent his summer vacations. After his wife had died several years before, he had given up their big house and lived during the winter season at an apartment in the Westminster Hotel in New York City.
Through his daughter Ellen, he was the grandfather of John Ruggles Strong[7] andGeorge Templeton Strong (1856–1948), acomposer ofclassical music and a professionalpainter.[6][8]
