Silas M. Stilwell
Encyclopedia
Silas Moore Stilwell was an American lawyer and politician.
. Silas was educated at Woodstock Free Academy until 1812, then, after his father's bankruptcy, he went to New York City and began to work.
In 1814, he engaged in surveying
in the west, and then settled in Tennessee
. In 1822, he was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
. Afterwards he removed to Virginia
, and was Clerk of Tazewell County
and a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
. He was admitted to the bar in 1824.
He returned to New York in 1828, and was a member from New York County of the New York State Assembly
from 1830 to 1833. In 1830, he proposed An act to abolish imprisonment for debt and to punish fraudulent debtors in the Assembly which was enacted on April 26, 1831, and became known as the Stilwell Act.
In 1834, he ran for Lieutenant Governor
on the Whig ticket with William H. Seward
, but they were defeated. He was an alderman in New York City in 1835, and chosen Chairman of the Board of Aldermen
. In this year, the political parties were equally divided, and as he had the casting vote on all appointments he became popularly known as "King Caucus". He was Acting Mayor at the time of the Great Fire of New York
in 1835.
He was United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York during President John Tyler
's administration. At this time he was sent on a special mission to The Hague
to negotiate a loan for the U.S. government. At the end of his term he resumed the practice of law.
He was the author of the National Banking Act
in 1863.
He wrote on questions of finance, many of his articles appeared in the New York Herald
from 1860 to 1872, under the pen-name of "Jonathan Ohlbuck."
He was married to Caroline Norseworthy, and their son was Silas M. Stilwell (1854–1891), a lawyer in New York City.
Biography
He was the son of Stephen Stilwell, who had fought in the Revolutionary War and opened a glass factory in 1804 in Woodstock, New YorkWoodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
. Silas was educated at Woodstock Free Academy until 1812, then, after his father's bankruptcy, he went to New York City and began to work.
In 1814, he engaged in surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in the west, and then settled in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. In 1822, he was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
. Afterwards he removed to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and was Clerk of Tazewell County
Tazewell County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,598 people, 18,277 households and 13,232 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 20,390 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
and a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1824.
He returned to New York in 1828, and was a member from New York County 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...
from 1830 to 1833. In 1830, he proposed An act to abolish imprisonment for debt and to punish fraudulent debtors in the Assembly which was enacted on April 26, 1831, and became known as the Stilwell Act.
In 1834, he ran for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
on the Whig ticket with William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
, but they were defeated. He was an alderman in New York City in 1835, and chosen Chairman of the Board of Aldermen
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. In this year, the political parties were equally divided, and as he had the casting vote on all appointments he became popularly known as "King Caucus". He was Acting Mayor at the time of the Great Fire of New York
Great Fire of New York
The Great New York Fire was a conflagration that destroyed the New York Stock Exchange and most of the buildings on the southeast tip of Manhattan around Wall Street on December 16–17, 1835....
in 1835.
He was United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York during President John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
's administration. At this time he was sent on a special mission to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
to negotiate a loan for the U.S. government. At the end of his term he resumed the practice of law.
He was the author of the National Banking Act
National Banking Act
The National Banking Acts of 1863 and 1864 were two United States federal laws that established a system of national charters for banks, and created the United States National Banking System. They encouraged development of a national currency backed by bank holdings of U.S...
in 1863.
He wrote on questions of finance, many of his articles appeared in the New York Herald
New York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
from 1860 to 1872, under the pen-name of "Jonathan Ohlbuck."
He was married to Caroline Norseworthy, and their son was Silas M. Stilwell (1854–1891), a lawyer in New York City.
Works
- A System of Credit for a Republic and Plan of a Bank for the State of New York (1838).
- A System of National Finance - Notes Explanatory of Mr. Chase's Plan of National Finance (Washington, D.C, 1861)
- National Finances: a Philosophical Examination of Credit (1866)
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/stilgenbauer-stockslager.html Political Graveyard (name given as Stillwell)
- http://www.yamaguchy.netfirms.com/7897401/myers/tammany/tammany_10.html The History of Tammany Hall by Gustavus MyersGustavus MyersGustavus Myers was an American journalist and historian who published a series of influential studies on capital formation. His name is associated with the muckraking era of American literature.-Early years:...
(1917) Chapter X (on-line version) (name given as Stillwell) - http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9A02E0D7133AE533A25750C2A9649D94609ED7CF His son's death notice, in NYT on December 23, 1891
- http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=mayantislavery;idno=34906701;view=image;seq=1 Cover view of A System of National Finance
- Google Book The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (page 307; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) (name given as Stillwell)