Hiram Barney
Encyclopedia
Hiram Barney was Collector of the Port of New York
from 1861 - 1864. He was born in Henderson, New York
, Jefferson County, New York
and graduated from Union College
in Schenectady, New York
, in 1834. Barney was
Collector during the first three years of the administration of Abraham Lincoln
. He resigned and refused an appointment to a foreign mission.
. He was associated with John Jay
, A.C. Coxe, Theodore Weld, and Henry Stanton
. 1840 he formed a law partnership with William Mitchell in New York City
. The firm was later continued under the name of Barney, Humphrey, and Butler. Mitchell died suddenly and in March 1849 Barney became associated with
Benjamin Franklin Butler (lawyer)
and his son William Allen Butler
.
In 1840, he was nominated for the United States Congress
by the Anti-Slavery Party. He was a presidential elector when the Free Soil Party
was formed in 1848. Barney was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
of 1856, which nominated John C. Fremont
. He voted for Charles Sumner
rather than Fremont while he was there. He attended the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois in 1860. Barney met with Lincoln at Springfield, Illinois
shortly after the convention ended. Barney raised $35,000 in New York
, which he sent to the Illinois State Committee.
Lincoln called upon Barney at a hotel in Springfield when he was sent by Republicans of New York to consult with Lincoln regarding his Cabinet
.
Lincoln requested that Barney write out a list in pencil of his choices for Cabinet posts. He chose Caleb Smith
as Secretary of the Interior
and
Simon Cameron
as Secretary of War
, rather than men Barney had recommended.
. Barney died at Spuyten Duyvil in 1895, after a long illness. He was 84.
Collector of the Port of New York
The Collector of Customs at the Port of New York, most often referred to as Collector of the Port of New York, sometimes also as Collector of Customs for the Port of New York or Collector of Customs for the District of New York, was a federal officer who was in charge of the collection of import...
from 1861 - 1864. He was born in Henderson, New York
Henderson, New York
Henderson is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,360 at the 2010 census. The town is named after William Henderson, the original land owner....
, Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
and graduated from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, in 1834. Barney was
Collector during the first three years of the administration of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. He resigned and refused an appointment to a foreign mission.
Lawyer and abolitionist
In 1830 he served as chairman of the executive committee of the Young Men's Anti-Slavery Society in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was associated with John Jay
John Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
, A.C. Coxe, Theodore Weld, and Henry Stanton
Henry Stanton
Henry Brewster Stanton was a 19th century abolitionist and social reformer.-Biography:Stanton was born in Preston, Connecticut, the son of Joseph Stanton and Susan M. Brewster...
. 1840 he formed a law partnership with William Mitchell in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The firm was later continued under the name of Barney, Humphrey, and Butler. Mitchell died suddenly and in March 1849 Barney became associated with
Benjamin Franklin Butler (lawyer)
Benjamin Franklin Butler (lawyer)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was a lawyer, legislator and Attorney General of the United States.-Early life:...
and his son William Allen Butler
William Allen Butler
William Allen Butler was an American lawyer and writer of poetical satires.Son of the poet and lawyer Benjamin Franklin Butler and nephew of naval hero William Howard Allen, Allen graduated at the University of the City of New York in 1843 and became a New York lawyer...
.
In 1840, he was nominated for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
by the Anti-Slavery Party. He was a presidential elector when the Free Soil Party
Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. It was a third party and a single-issue party that largely appealed to and drew its greatest strength from New York State. The party leadership...
was formed in 1848. Barney was a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
of 1856, which nominated John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
. He voted for Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
rather than Fremont while he was there. He attended the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois in 1860. Barney met with Lincoln at Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
shortly after the convention ended. Barney raised $35,000 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, which he sent to the Illinois State Committee.
Lincoln called upon Barney at a hotel in Springfield when he was sent by Republicans of New York to consult with Lincoln regarding his Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
.
Lincoln requested that Barney write out a list in pencil of his choices for Cabinet posts. He chose Caleb Smith
Caleb Blood Smith
Caleb Blood Smith was an American journalist and politician, serving in the Cabinet of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
as Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
and
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
as Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, rather than men Barney had recommended.
Family and death
His first wife, Susannah Tappan, was the daughter of the abolitionist Lewis TappanLewis Tappan
Lewis Tappan was a New York abolitionist who worked to achieve the freedom of the illegally enslaved Africans of the Amistad. Contacted by Connecticut abolitionists soon after the Amistad arrived in port, Tappan focused extensively on the captive Africans...
. Barney died at Spuyten Duyvil in 1895, after a long illness. He was 84.