Ambrose L. Jordan
Encyclopedia
Ambrose Latting Jordan was an American lawyer, newspaper editor and politician.
. He was Surrogate of Otsego County
from 1815 to 1818, and District Attorney of Otsego County from 1818 to 1820. In 1820, he removed to Hudson, New York
, and took over the Columbia Republican newspaper. From 1821 to 1827, he was Recorder of The City of Hudson.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly
(Columbia Co.) in 1825
; and a member of the New York State Senate
(3rd D.) from 1826 to 1829, sitting in the 49th
, 50th
, 51st and 52nd New York State Legislatures.
at their trial for riot, conspiracy and robbery. John Van Buren
, the state attorney general, personally conducted the accusation. At the first trial the jury disagreed. At the re-trial, in September 1845, the two leading counsels started a fist-fight in open court, and were both sentenced by the presiding judge, Justice John W. Edmonds, to "solitary confinement in the county jail for 24 hours." Governor Silas Wright
refused to accept Van Buren's resignation, and both counsels continued with the case after their release from jail. The defendant, Smith A. Boughton ("Big Thunder"), was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the next state election Governor Wright was defeated by John Young
who had the support of the Anti-Renters, and Young pardoned Jordan's client who was released from jail.
elected by popular ballot under the provisions of the new Constitution, succeeding his antagonist of the Anti-Renters' trials. He served from January 1, 1848 to December 31, 1849. Afterwards he resumed his private practice.
Jordan was buried at the cemetery in Hudson, New York
.
Early life
Jordan was admitted to the bar in 1812, and practiced law in Cooperstown, New YorkCooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
. He was Surrogate of Otsego County
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
from 1815 to 1818, and District Attorney of Otsego County from 1818 to 1820. In 1820, he removed to Hudson, New York
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
, and took over the Columbia Republican newspaper. From 1821 to 1827, he was Recorder of The City of Hudson.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
(Columbia Co.) in 1825
48th New York State Legislature
The 48th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to April 21, 1825, during the first year of DeWitt Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.-Background:...
; and a member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
(3rd D.) from 1826 to 1829, sitting in the 49th
49th New York State Legislature
The 49th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to April 18, 1826, during the second year of DeWitt Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.-Background:...
, 50th
50th New York State Legislature
The 50th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to December 4, 1827, during the third year of DeWitt Clinton's second tenure as Governor of New York, in Albany.-Background:...
, 51st and 52nd New York State Legislatures.
Anti-Rent War trial
In 1845, Jordan was the leading counsel for the defense of some leaders of the Anti-Rent WarAnti-Rent War
The Anti-Rent War was a tenants' revolt in upstate New York during the early 19th century, beginning with the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III in 1839....
at their trial for riot, conspiracy and robbery. John Van Buren
John Van Buren
John Van Buren was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the second son of President Martin Van Buren and graduated from Yale College in 1828. In 1831, when his father was appointed U.S. Minister to Britain, he accompanied him as secretary of the American Legation in London...
, the state attorney general, personally conducted the accusation. At the first trial the jury disagreed. At the re-trial, in September 1845, the two leading counsels started a fist-fight in open court, and were both sentenced by the presiding judge, Justice John W. Edmonds, to "solitary confinement in the county jail for 24 hours." Governor Silas Wright
Silas Wright
Silas Wright, Jr. was an American Democratic politician. Wright was born in Amherst, Massachusetts and moved with his father to Weybridge, Vermont in 1796. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1815 and moved to Sandy Hill, New York, the next year, where he studied law, being admitted to the bar...
refused to accept Van Buren's resignation, and both counsels continued with the case after their release from jail. The defendant, Smith A. Boughton ("Big Thunder"), was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the next state election Governor Wright was defeated by John Young
John Young (Governor)
John Young was an American politician.He was born in Chelsea, Vermont. As a child, he moved to Freeport , Livingston County, New York. He had only basic schooling but, by self-study accumulated a knowledge of classics and became a law clerk, becoming admitted to the bar in 1829...
who had the support of the Anti-Renters, and Young pardoned Jordan's client who was released from jail.
Later life
In 1846, Jordan was a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention, and in 1847, as the candidate of the Whigs and Anti-Renters, he was the first New York State Attorney GeneralNew York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
elected by popular ballot under the provisions of the new Constitution, succeeding his antagonist of the Anti-Renters' trials. He served from January 1, 1848 to December 31, 1849. Afterwards he resumed his private practice.
Jordan was buried at the cemetery in Hudson, New York
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
.
Sources
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/columbia/biogrphs/jordan_ambrose.htm Bio
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=950DE7D9123EEE34BC4152DFB166838E679FDE Obit in NYT, July 19, 1865
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/columbia/genhistcolco/chapt9_1878_hist.htm History of Columbia County, New York by Captain Franklin Ellis (Everts & Ensign, Philadelphia PA, 1878)
- http://www.oag.state.ny.us/previous_aglist.html List of New York Attorneys General, at Office of the NYSAG (erroneosly giving party affiliation as Democratic)
- Google Book The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 36f, 379, 416; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D02EEDD123EE333A25750C2A9649C94679ED7CF An account of the Anti-Rent trial in 1845, in NYT on February 23, 1896
- http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/columbia/newspapers/index_newspapers.htm List of newspapers from the Gazetteer of the State of New York by J. H. French (published by R. Pearsall Smith, Syracuse NY, 1860, pg. 241f), at usgennet
- http://www.history.vt.edu/MxAmWar/Newspapers/Niles/Nilesi1847SepOct.htm Whig Convention on October 16, 1847, transcribed from Niles' National Register (Vol. 73, September–October 1847, pg 108f) at Vermont History