Nathan Sanford

Nathan Sanford
United States Senator from New York
In office March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1821
Preceded by	Obadiah German
Succeeded by	Martin Van Buren
In office January 14, 1826 – March 3, 1831
Preceded by	Rufus King
Succeeded by	William L. Marcy
Personal details
Born	November 5, 1777 Bridgehampton, New York
Died	October 17, 1838 (aged 60) Flushing, New York
Political party	Democratic-Republican

Nathan Sanford (November 5, 1777 – October 17, 1838) was an American politician.

Life

He was born on November 5, 1777, the son of Thomas Sanford and Phebe (Baker) Sanford. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in New York City.

In 1803, he was appointed as United States Attorney for the District of New York, and remained in office until 1815 when the district was split into the Northern and the Southern District of New York.

He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1808-09 and 1811. In 1811, he was elected Speaker on January 29, but could not attend the session after February 10 because of ill health. The Assembly moved to elect a new Speaker and proceeded to the election of William Ross. He was a member of the New York State Senate (Southern D.) from 1812 to 1815, sitting in the 35th, 36th, 37th and 38th New York State Legislatures.

In 1815, he was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1821. He was Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures (15th and 16th United States Congresses), and a member of the Committee on Naval Affairs (15th Congress) and the Committee on Finance (16th Congress). In 1821, he ran for re-election as a Clintonian, but was defeated by Bucktail Martin Van Buren.

He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821, and was Chancellor of New York from 1823 to 1826. In 1824, he received 30 electoral votes for U.S. Vice President.

In 1826, he resigned the chancellorship after his nomination in caucus, and was elected again to the U.S. Senate. He took his seat on January 31, 1826, and served until March 3, 1831. He was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations (19th United States Congress). Afterwards he resumed the practice of law in Flushing, New York.

He died on October 17, 1838.

Family

State Senator Edward Sanford (1805–1876) was his son; State Senator Peter Gansevoort (1788–1876) was his son-in-law.

Nathan Sanford's residence in Flushing, "Sanford Hall", became a private insane asylum in 1845, run by Dr. James Macdonald MD (1803–1849) and Gen. Allan Macdonald (1794–1862).

Sources

• Nathan Sanford at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress