Cornelius P. Van Ness
Encyclopedia
Cornelius Peter Van Ness (January 26, 1782 – December 15, 1852) was an American politician
of Dutch descent from the US state of Vermont
. Van Ness was a Democratic Republican. He is the father of James Van Ness
who was a Mayor of San Francisco
.
four years later. He moved to St. Albans, Vermont
in 1806 and later to Burlington, Vermont
in 1809 when he was appointed United States district attorney for the district of Vermont. He was made collector of customs for the district of Vermont in 1813 and in 1816 the president made Van Ness commissioner on the part of the United States to settle the northeastern boundary.
His son James
became a Mayor of San Francisco was and his daughter married the British diplomat William Gore Ouseley
.
He was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives
in 1818, he was later appointed as appointed chief-justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1821 to 1823. In 1823 he became Governor of Vermont
. After being twice re-elected, in 1826 he declined re-election and went back to practicing law until 1829 when he became envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court of Spain
. William T. Barry
was appointed to the post in April 1835, but died before arriving August 30, in Liverpool
. President Jackson
then appointed John H. Eaton to the post in March 1836 and Van Ness left the position on December 21, 1836.
Van Ness died on December 15, 1852 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington DC.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
of Dutch descent from the US state of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Van Ness was a Democratic Republican. He is the father of James Van Ness
James Van Ness
James Van Ness was the seventh mayor of San Francisco, USA from 1855 to 1856.He was the son of Dutch-American Vermont Governor Cornelius Van Ness and father-in-law of future San Francisco mayor Frank McCoppin. Prior to being mayor, he had been a lawyer in the U.S. South and then a San Francisco...
who was a Mayor of San Francisco
Mayor of San Francisco
The Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of San Francisco's city and county government. The mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative branch....
.
Biography
He was born in Kinderhook, New York on January 26, 1782 and he attended Washington Seminary. In 1800 he joined his brother William Peter Van Ness's law office in New York and he was admitted to the New York State Bar AssociationNew York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association , with 77,000 members, is the largest voluntary bar association in the United States.-History:The State Bar was founded with a constitution that dates to 1877...
four years later. He moved to St. Albans, Vermont
St. Albans (city), Vermont
St. Albans is a city in and the shire town of Franklin County, Vermont, in the United States. At the 2000 census, the city population was 7,650. St Albans City is completely surrounded by St. Albans town, which is incorporated separately from the city of St. Albans...
in 1806 and later to Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
in 1809 when he was appointed United States district attorney for the district of Vermont. He was made collector of customs for the district of Vermont in 1813 and in 1816 the president made Van Ness commissioner on the part of the United States to settle the northeastern boundary.
His son James
James Van Ness
James Van Ness was the seventh mayor of San Francisco, USA from 1855 to 1856.He was the son of Dutch-American Vermont Governor Cornelius Van Ness and father-in-law of future San Francisco mayor Frank McCoppin. Prior to being mayor, he had been a lawyer in the U.S. South and then a San Francisco...
became a Mayor of San Francisco was and his daughter married the British diplomat William Gore Ouseley
William Gore Ouseley
Sir William Gore Ouseley was a British diplomat who served in various roles in Washington, D.C., Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. His main achievement were negotiations concerning ownership of Britain's interests in what is now Honduras and Nicaragua.-Career:Ouseley was born in London to the...
.
He was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members. Vermont legislative districting divides representing districts into 66 single-member districts and 42 two-member...
in 1818, he was later appointed as appointed chief-justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1821 to 1823. In 1823 he became Governor of Vermont
Governor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
. After being twice re-elected, in 1826 he declined re-election and went back to practicing law until 1829 when he became envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court of Spain
United States Ambassador to Spain
-Ambassadors:*John Jay**Appointed: September 29, 1779**Title: Minister Plenipotentiary**Presented credentials:**Terminated mission: ~May 20, 1782*William Carmichael**Appointed: April 20, 1790**Title: Chargé d'Affaires...
. William T. Barry
William T. Barry
William Taylor Barry was an American statesman and jurist.-History:Born near Lunenburg, Virginia, he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky, in 1796 with his parents John Barry, an American Revolutionary War veteran, and Susannah Barry...
was appointed to the post in April 1835, but died before arriving August 30, in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. President Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
then appointed John H. Eaton to the post in March 1836 and Van Ness left the position on December 21, 1836.
Van Ness died on December 15, 1852 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington DC.