Edwin Corning

Edwin Corning
Lieutenant Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1927 – December 31, 1928
Governor	Al Smith
Preceded by	Seymour Lowman
Succeeded by	Herbert H. Lehman
New York State Democratic Committee Chairman
In office January 1926 – August 1928
Preceded by	Herbert C. Pell
Succeeded by	M. William Bray
Personal details
Born	September 30, 1883 Albany, New York
Died	August 7, 1934 (aged 50) Bar Harbor, Maine
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Louise Maxwell Corning
Relations	Parker Corning (brother) Erastus Corning (grandfather) Amasa J. Parker (grandfather)
Children	Erastus Corning 2nd Louise Corning Harriet Corning Edwin Corning, Jr.
Profession	Business executive
Religion	Episcopal

Edwin Corning (September 30, 1883 – August 7, 1934) was an American businessman and politician from New York. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1927 to 1928.

Early life

Corning's father was Erastus Corning (1827–1897) and his paternal grandfather was Erastus Corning. His mother was Mary (Parker) Corning, the daughter of Amasa J. Parker.^[1] He was educated at The Albany Academy and the Groton School,^[2] and graduated from Yale University in 1906.^[3] He was an executive at the Ludlum Steel Company in Watervliet, New York, and became its President in 1910.^[4]

Political career

He was Chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 1926 to 1928.^[5] He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1927 to 1928, elected on the Democratic ticket with Governor Alfred E. Smith in 1926.^[6] In 1928, when Smith planned to run for President, Corning considered a run for Governor, but declined because of ill health. After his term he retired from his business and political interests.^[7]

Death and burial

He died on the operating table in Bar Harbor, Maine during a second leg amputation, which was necessary because of gangrene derived from diabetes.^[8] He was buried at the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York.

Family

On November 25, 1908, he married Louise Maxwell.^[9] and their children were Erastus Corning 2nd,^[10] Louise Corning,^[11] Harriet Corning^[12] and Edwin Corning, Jr. (September 26, 1919 – January 31, 1964).

Erastus Corning 2nd served as Mayor of Albany for over 40 years.^[13]

Edwin Corning, Jr. was serving in the New York State Assembly when he was involved in a 1959 car accident.^[14] He resigned his Assembly seat, and died without recovering fully.^[15][16][17]

Edwin Corning's brother Parker Corning served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.^[18] His grandfather Erastus Corning also served in Congress.^[19]

References

1. James Terry White, The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume 25, 1967, page 428
2. Groton School, The Grotonian, Volume 32, 1915, page 29
3. Yale University, Catalogue of the Officers and Graduates of Yale University, 1910, page 226
4. Penton Publishing Company, Steel magazine, Volume 95, 1934, page 153
5. New York Times, Corning Quits Post as Committee Head, August 15, 1928
6. Rochester Evening-Journal, Bray Picked by Democrats, August 23, 1928
7. Frank S. Robinson, Machine Politics: A Study of Albany's O'Connells, 1973, pages 55 to 56
8. New York Times, Corning Funeral Today: Former Lieutenant Governor's Body Taken to Estate at Albany, August 9, 1934
9. New York Times, Obituary, Mrs. Edwin Corning, May 25, 1876
10. Robert H. Jackson, John Q. Barrett, That Man: An Insider's Portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 2004, page 200
11. New York Times, Miss Louise Corning Engaged to be Wed, May 20, 1935
12. New York Times, Harriet Corning an Albany Bride, June 13, 1937
13. Michael Oreskes, Erastus Corning and his Era are Laid to rest in Albany, June 2, 1983
14. Troy Record, Lester H. Knapp Dies Suddenly, March 4, 1960
15. Associated Press, Oneonta Star, Lawmaker Hurt, Resigns Post, August 27, 1959
16. Troy Record, Hudson Seated in Assembly as Legislature Convenes, January 6, 1960
17. Burial record, Edwin Corning, Jr., Albany Rural Cemetery, accessed January 8, 2013
18. Schenectady gazette, Parker Corning Dies at 69, May 25, 1943
19. New York Secretary of State, New York Manual for the Use of the Legislature, 1927, page 297

External sources

• Political Graveyard
• Bio at NY History, USGenNet