The Political Graveyard: Rensselaer County, N.Y.

Rensselaer County
New York

Rensselaer County information:

Population: 152,538 (2000); 154,429 (1990)
Land area 654 square miles.
County seat: Troy
Rensselaer County official web site.
Capital Impact: Rensselaer County -- officials, addresses, and political, economic, education data
Fedstats/Mapstats: Rensselaer County -- data on agriculture, population, immigration, business, crime, environment
Rensselaer County NYGenWeb page -- genealogical, historical information and queries
(if this link doesn't work, find the new one through the USGenWeb national site).
Rensselaer County page at Interment.Net (Cemetery Records Online).

Neighboring areas:

The Political Graveyard:

Selected officials of Rensselaer County
Politicians who were born in Rensselaer County
Politicians who lived in Rensselaer County
Politicians who died in Rensselaer County
Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Rensselaer County

Assignment of birthplaces, deathplaces, and cemeteries to counties is subject to error. The intent is to locate places according to current county names and boundaries. If you don't find what you're looking for, check other nearby counties, the unassigned page, or the Gazetteer. Any corrections to county locations would be greatly appreciated. See contact information on the Main Page.

Selected officials of Rensselaer County

(not intended to be complete)

Russell Sage (County Treasurer) Edgar L. Fursman (County Judge, 1883-89) Albert C. Comstock (County Surrogate, 1896) Wesley O. Howard (District Attorney, 1900) Victor M. Allen (Sheriff, 1903) Cornelius V. Collins (Sheriff, 1905-08) John F. Williams (Sheriff, 1922-24) Thomas H. Brown (County Treasurer)

Private or family graveyard
Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Herman Knickerbocker (1779-1855) — of Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Albany, Albany County, N.Y., July 27, 1779. U.S. Representative from New York 6th District, 1809-11; member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1815-16. Died January 30, 1855. Interment at at a private or family graveyard.
- See also: congressional biography.

Castleton Cemetery
Castleton, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

James Lawrence Hogeboom (1766-1839) — also known as James L. Hogeboom — of Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New York, 1766. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1804-05, 1807-08; U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1823-25. Died in 1839. Interment at Castleton Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Center Cemetery
Grafton, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Wesley O. Howard — of Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, N.Y.; Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Rensselaer County District Attorney, 1900; Justice of New York Supreme Court 3rd District, 1903-25; New York state attorney general 3rd District; resigned 1925. Interment at Center Cemetery.

Hoosick Rural Cemetery
Hoosick, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Gideon Reynolds (1813-1896) — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New York, 1813. Republican. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1839; U.S. Representative from New York 12th District, 1847-51; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1856, 1860. Died in 1896. Interment at Hoosick Rural Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Maple Grove Cemetery
Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County, New York
Location maps, from U.S. Census Tiger Map Server:

Politicians buried here:

William David Thomas (1880-1936) — also known as William D. Thomas — of Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Middle Granville, Washington County, N.Y., March 22, 1880. Son of David D. Thomas and Mary (McKenzie) Thomas. Republican. Pharmacist; member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County 2nd District, 1925-26; chair of Rensselaer County Republican Party, 1927-29; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1928, 1936 (alternate); U.S. Representative from New York 29th District, 1934-36; died in office 1936. Member, Freemasons; Order of the Eastern Star; Elks. Died in 1936. Interment at Maple Grove Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Walter Abbott Wood (1815-1892) — also known as Walter A. Wood — of Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New Hampshire, 1815. Republican. U.S. Representative from New York 17th District, 1879-83. Died in 1892. Interment at Maple Grove Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Nassau Cemetery
Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

George McClellan (1856-1927) — of Chatham, Columbia County, N.Y. Born in Schodack, Rensselaer County, N.Y., October 10, 1856. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 27th District, 1913-15; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1920. Died in 1927. Interment at Nassau Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Hugh W. McClellan — of Kinderhook, Columbia County, N.Y. Democrat. Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1936. Interment at Nassau Cemetery.

Unknown Location
Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians formerly buried here:

Volkert Petrus Douw (1720-1801) — also known as Volkert P. Douw — of Albany, Albany County, N.Y. Born in 1720. Merchant; mayor of Albany, N.Y., 1761-70; member of New York state senate Western District, 1785-93. Died in 1801. Original interment somewhere; reinterment at Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands, N.Y.

Greenbush Cemetery
Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, New York
Location maps, from U.S. Census Tiger Map Server:

Politicians buried here:

Richard Platt Herrick (1791-1846) — also known as Richard P. Herrick — of Greenbush (now Rensselaer), Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Greenbush (now Rensselaer), Rensselaer County, N.Y., March 23, 1791. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1839; U.S. Representative from New York 12th District, 1845-46; died in office 1846. Died in Washington, D.C., June 20, 1846. Interment at Greenbush Cemetery; cenotaph at Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
- See also: congressional biography.

Sand Lake Union Cemetery
Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Thomas Frothingham (1755-1827) — of New York. Born in Charlestown, Boston, Suffolk County, Mass., January 27, 1755. Member of New York state senate Eastern District, 1819-22. Died in Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, N.Y., June 25, 1827. Interment at Sand Lake Union Cemetery.
Albert R. Fox (1810-1892) — of Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born February 18, 1810. Member of New York state senate 12th District, 1848-49. Died May 30, 1892. Interment at Sand Lake Union Cemetery.

City Cemetery
Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

John Adam Quackenbush (1828-1908) — of Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New York, 1828. Republican. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County 2nd District, 1863; U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1889-93. Died in 1908. Interment at City Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Masters Cemetery
Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Josiah Masters (1763-1822) — of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Connecticut, 1763. Democrat. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1792-93, 1799-1801; U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1805-09. Died in 1822. Interment at Masters Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Old Presbyterian Cemetery
Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Hosea Moffitt (1757-1825) — of Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, N.Y., November 17, 1757. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1793-95, 1796-98, 1800-01; U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1813-17. Died in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, N.Y., August 31, 1825. Interment at Old Presbyterian Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Mt. Ida Cemetery
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York
Location maps, from U.S. Census Tiger Map Server:

Politicians buried here:

John Bird (1768-1806) — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Litchfield, Litchfield County, Conn., November 22, 1768. Lawyer; member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1795-98; U.S. Representative from New York 6th District, 1799-1801; resigned 1801. Member, Freemasons. Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., February 2, 1806. Interment at Mt. Ida Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
David Lowrey Seymour (1803-1867) — also known as David L. Seymour — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Conn., December 2, 1803. Democrat. Lawyer; member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1836; U.S. Representative from New York 12th District, 1843-45, 1851-53; defeated, 1844, 1852, 1858; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1860; delegate to New York state constitutional convention, 1867. Died in Lanesboro, Berkshire County, Mass., October 11, 1867. Interment at Mt. Ida Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Oakwood Cemetery
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York
Founded 1848; approximate acreage: 625
Listed in National Register of Historic Places, 1984
Location maps, from U.S. Census Tiger Map Server:

Politicians buried here:

Dean Park Taylor (1902-1977) — also known as Dean P. Taylor — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., January 1, 1902. Republican. Lawyer; chair of Rensselaer County Republican Party, 1939-42; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1940, 1956; U.S. Representative from New York, 1943-61 (29th District 1943-45, 33rd District 1945-53, 31st District 1953-61); New York Republican state chair, 1954. Member, Phi Kappa Psi. Died in Albany, Albany County, N.Y., October 16, 1977. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
John Dean Dickinson (1767-1841) — also known as John D. Dickinson — of Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Middletown, Middlesex County, Conn., June 28, 1767. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1816-17; U.S. Representative from New York, 1819-23, 1827-31 (10th District 1819-23, 9th District 1827-31). Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., January 28, 1841. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
John Augustus Griswold (1822-1872) — also known as John A. Griswold — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Nassau, Rensselaer County, N.Y., November 11, 1822. Democrat. Mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1855; U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 1863-69; defeated, 1860; candidate for Governor of New York, 1868. Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., October 31, 1872. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Martin Ingham Townsend (1810-1903) — also known as Martin I. Townsend — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Massachusetts, 1810. Republican. U.S. Representative from New York 17th District, 1875-79; U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, 1879-86; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1884. Died in 1903. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
William Henry Draper (1841-1921) — also known as William H. Draper — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Rochdale, Leicester, Worcester County, Mass., June 24, 1841. Republican. U.S. Representative from New York, 1901-13 (19th District 1901-03, 22nd District 1903-13). Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., December 7, 1921. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Ernest Harold Cluett (1874-1954) — also known as E. Harold Cluett — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., July 13, 1874. Married 1899 to Margaret Robertson Gorham. Republican. Director and officer, Cluett, Peabody & Co. collar and shirt manufacturer; Presidential Elector for New York, 1916; defeated, 1912; candidate for U.S. Senator from New York, 1934; U.S. Representative from New York 29th District, 1937-43. Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., February 4, 1954. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Job Pierson (1791-1860) — of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New York, 1791. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1831-35. Died in 1860. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
John Paine Cushman (1784-1848) — of New York. Born in Pomfret, Windham County, Conn., March 8, 1784. U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1817-19. Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., September 16, 1848. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
George Tibbits (1763-1849) — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Rhode Island, 1763. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County, 1799-1800, 1819-20; U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1803-05; member of New York state senate Eastern District, 1814-18; mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1830. Died in 1849. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Russell Sage (1816-1906) — also known as "The Sage of Troy"; "The Money King"; "Father of Puts and Calls"; "Old Straddle" — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y.; New York, New York County, N.Y. Born in Verona, Oneida County, N.Y., August 4, 1816. Son of Elisha Sage, Jr. (1779-1854) and Prudence (Risley) Sage (born 1786); married, January 23, 1840, to Maria-Henrie 'Marie' Winne (died 1867); married, November 24, 1869, to Margaret Olivia Slocum. Whig. Merchant; banker; Rensselaer County Treasurer; delegate to Whig National Convention from New York, 1848; U.S. Representative from New York 13th District, 1853-57; railroad builder; arrested in 1869 and charged with violation of New York usury laws by charging high interest rates on loans; fined and sentenced to five days in prison, which was later suspended. On December 4, 1891, Henry Norcross, a stockbroker, brought a bomb to Sage's office in New York City as part of an extortion scheme; when his demands were refused, he detonated the bomb, but Sage suffered only minor injuries. Died in Lawrence, Nassau County, Long Island, N.Y., July 22, 1906. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Eliphalet Wickes (1769-1850) — of New York. Born in New York, 1769. U.S. Representative from New York 1st District, 1805-07. Died in 1850. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Henry Vail (1782-1853) — of New York. Born in New York, 1782. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1837-39. Died in 1853. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
John Richardson Thurman (1814-1854) — of New York. Born in New York, 1814. U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 1849-51. Died in 1854. Original interment in private or family graveyard; reinterment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Joseph Mabbett Warren (1813-1896) — also known as Joseph M. Warren — of New York. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., January 28, 1813. Democrat. Wholesale grocer; banker; mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1852; U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 1871-73. Died in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., September 9, 1896. Entombed at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Edward Whitford Greenman (1840-1908) — also known as Edward W. Greenman — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in New York, 1840. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1887-89. Died in 1908. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Edward Worthington Pattison (1932-1990) — also known as Edward W. Pattison; Ned Pattison — of West Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., April 29, 1932. Democrat. Lawyer; U.S. Representative from New York 29th District, 1975-79; defeated, 1970, 1978; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1984. Died August 22, 1990. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Joseph B. Carr — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Secretary of state of New York, 1880-85. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.
Frederick W. Kavanaugh — also known as Fred W. Kavanaugh — of Waterford, Saratoga County, N.Y. Married to Lillian Le Roy. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1908 (alternate), 1936; member of New York state senate 32nd District, 1921-24; chair of Saratoga County Republican Party, 1927-29. Entombed at Oakwood Cemetery.
Cornelius Van Santvoord Collins (1856-1926) — also known as Cornelius V. Collins — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Greenwich, Washington County, N.Y., June 20, 1856. Republican. Dry goods merchant; Troy city police commissioner, 1888-90; delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1900 (alternate), 1904, 1908, 1912; Rensselaer County Sheriff, 1905-08; postmaster. Member, Freemasons. Died in 1926. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery.

St. Mary's Cemetery
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Edward Murphy, Jr. (1836-1911) — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., December 15, 1836. Father of Julia M. Murphy (who married Hugh John Grant). Democrat. Mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1875-83; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, 1896, 1904; New York Democratic state chair, 1887-94; U.S. Senator from New York, 1893-99. Died in Elberon, Monmouth County, N.J., August 3, 1911. Interment at St. Mary's Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.
Harry E. Clinton — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1924; mayor of Troy, N.Y., 1926-27. Catholic. Interment at St. Mary's Cemetery.
Michael F. Collins — of Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y. Member of New York state assembly from Rensselaer County 1st District, 1886-87; member of New York state senate, 1888-91, 1894-95 (16th District 1888-91, 18th District 1894-95). Interment at St. Mary's Cemetery.

St. Peter's Cemetery
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York
Location maps, from U.S. Census Tiger Map Server:

Politicians buried here:

John Morrissey (1831-1878) — also known as "Old Smoke" — of New York, New York County, N.Y. Born in County Tipperary, Ireland, February 12, 1831. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 5th District, 1867-71; member of New York state senate, 1876-78 (4th District 1876-77, 7th District 1878); died in office 1878. Champion heavyweight boxer of the U.S. in 1852-59; proprietor of gambling houses. Died at Adelphi Hotel, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, N.Y., May 1, 1878. Interment at St. Peter's Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

Troy Cemetery
Troy, Rensselaer County, New York

Politicians buried here:

Walter Irving McCoy (1859-1933) — of New Jersey. Born in Troy, Rensselaer County, N.Y., December 8, 1859. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New Jersey, 1911-15 (8th District 1911-13, 9th District 1913-15). Died in 1933. Interment at Troy Cemetery.
- See also: congressional biography.

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Selected officials of Rensselaer County

Politicians who were born in Rensselaer County

Politicians who lived in Rensselaer County

Politicians who died in Rensselaer County

Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Rensselaer County