Washington Hunt
Encyclopedia
Washington Hunt was an American lawyer and politician.
in 1828 to study law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and opened a law office on Market Street in 1835. He was First Judge of the Niagara County
Court from 1836 to 1841.
He was elected as a Whig to the 28th
, 29th
and 30th United States Congress
es, and served from March 4, 1843, to March 3, 1849.
He was elected New York State Comptroller
by the State Legislature after the resignation of Millard Fillmore
who had been elected U.S. Vice President. In November 1849, he was re-elected, but resigned the comptrollership after his election as Governor of New York
the following year. He was Governor from 1851 to 1852, and was defeated for re-election by Horatio Seymour
.
After the break-up of the Whig Party, Hunt, in spite of his previous association with the Seward
/Weed
faction, was among the more conservative Whigs who refused to join the Republicans. Hunt was the chairman of the 1856 Whig National Convention
and supported his fellow New York Whig, former president Millard Fillmore
for the presidency in that year. In 1860, Hunt joined the Constitutional Union Party
and supported its nominee for the presidency, John Bell
. After it became clear that Bell could not win on his own in New York, Hunt was involved in the formation of a fusion ticket with the supporters of Democrat Stephen Douglas.
In his last years, Hunt moved increasingly closer to the Democrats, endorsing his two-time opponent, Horatio Seymour
for the New York gubernatorial race in 1862 and supporting George McClellan
for the presidency at the 1864 Democratic National Convention
. He became a supporter of President Andrew Johnson
after the war, and supported Johnson's abortive "National Union" movement, serving as a delegate at the National Union Convention
of 1866, which sought to join Democrats and conservative Republicans into a new party to support Johnson.
He was buried at the at Glenwood Cemetery in Lockport. His former Lockport home at 363 Market Street is in the Lowertown Historic District
.
Life
He moved to Lockport, New YorkLockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
in 1828 to study law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and opened a law office on Market Street in 1835. He was First Judge of the Niagara County
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
Court from 1836 to 1841.
He was elected as a Whig to the 28th
28th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:Following the 1840 United States Census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats . During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida .- Senate :*President: Vacant...
, 29th
29th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
and 30th United States Congress
30th United States Congress
The Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849, during the last two years of...
es, and served from March 4, 1843, to March 3, 1849.
He was elected New York State Comptroller
New York State Comptroller
The New York State Comptroller is a state cabinet officer of the U.S. state of New York. The duties of the comptroller include auditing government operations and operating the state's retirement system.-History:...
by the State Legislature after the resignation of Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
who had been elected U.S. Vice President. In November 1849, he was re-elected, but resigned the comptrollership after his election as Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
the following year. He was Governor from 1851 to 1852, and was defeated for re-election by Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
.
After the break-up of the Whig Party, Hunt, in spite of his previous association with the Seward
William Seward
William Seward may refer to:*William Seward, English anecdotist, 1747-1799*William H. Seward, United States Secretary of State, 1861-1869*William H. Seward, Jr., his son, banker, Civil War general...
/Weed
Thurlow Weed
Thurlow Weed was a New York newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss. He was the principal political advisor to the prominent New York politician William H...
faction, was among the more conservative Whigs who refused to join the Republicans. Hunt was the chairman of the 1856 Whig National Convention
1856 Whig National Convention
The 1856 Whig National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nomination convention of the Whig Party. The convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland on September 17 and September 18, 1856. Former President Millard Fillmore was nominated as the party's candidate for president, four year after a...
and supported his fellow New York Whig, former president Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
for the presidency in that year. In 1860, Hunt joined the Constitutional Union Party
Constitutional Union Party (United States)
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party in the United States created in 1860. It was made up of conservative former Whigs who wanted to avoid disunion over the slavery issue...
and supported its nominee for the presidency, John Bell
John Bell (Tennessee politician)
John Bell was a U.S. politician, attorney, and plantation owner. A wealthy slaveholder from Tennessee, Bell served in the United States Congress in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He began his career as a Democrat, he eventually fell out with Andrew Jackson and became a Whig...
. After it became clear that Bell could not win on his own in New York, Hunt was involved in the formation of a fusion ticket with the supporters of Democrat Stephen Douglas.
In his last years, Hunt moved increasingly closer to the Democrats, endorsing his two-time opponent, Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
for the New York gubernatorial race in 1862 and supporting George McClellan
George McClellan
George B. McClellan was an American Civil War military leader, Presidential candidate and Governor of New Jersey.George McClellan may also refer to:*George McClellan , American physician who founded medical schools...
for the presidency at the 1864 Democratic National Convention
1864 Democratic National Convention
The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held at The Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. The Convention nominated General George B. McClellan for the Presidency, and Representative George H. Pendleton for the Vice-Presidency. McClellan, age 37 at the time of the convention and Pendleton, age 39,...
. He became a supporter of President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
after the war, and supported Johnson's abortive "National Union" movement, serving as a delegate at the National Union Convention
National Union Convention
The National Union Convention was held on August 14, 15 , and 16 1866, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The convention was called in advance of the mid-year elections of 1866 in an attempt to help president Johnson,...
of 1866, which sought to join Democrats and conservative Republicans into a new party to support Johnson.
He was buried at the at Glenwood Cemetery in Lockport. His former Lockport home at 363 Market Street is in the Lowertown Historic District
Lowertown Historic District (Lockport, New York)
Lowertown Historic District is a national historic district located at Lockport in Niagara County, New York. The district is predominantly residential in nature, with some commercial structures and warehouses. The mose elegant homes are along Market Street, east of Chapel Street, facing the Erie...
.
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/hunt.html Political Graveyard
- www.famousamericans.net/washingtonhunt/ Bio from Appleton's Encyclopedia, at Famous Americans
- Google Book The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 31, 34 and 362; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
External links
- http://www.lockport-ny.com/Tourism/sights.htm Photo of his law office, at Lockport website
- http://www.niagarahistory.org/museum_niagara_historical.html Description of the museum at his old law office, at Niagara history
- http://books.google.com/books?id=r_xLAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=wheeler+bristol+state+engineer&lr=&hl=pt-BR&source=gbs_similarbooks_r&cad=1_1#PPA403,M1 The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough, Stephen C. Hutchins and Edgar Albert Werner (page 403; Weed, Parsons & Co., Albany NY, 1867)