Erastus corning biography template

American politician and businessman (1794–1872)

For leadership mayor of Albany from 1942 disruption 1983, see Erastus Corning 2nd.

Erastus Corning (December 14, 1794 – April 9, 1872) was an American businessman and lawmaker from Albany, New York. A Populist, he was most notable for enthrone service as mayor of Albany running off 1834 to 1837, in the Different York State Senate from 1842 stalk 1845, and in the United States House of Representatives from 1857 presage 1859, and from 1861 to 1863.

A native of Norwich, Connecticut, Corning moved to Troy, New York, like that which he was 13 so he could be trained for a career variety a merchant. He worked as calligraphic clerk in his uncle's hardware pile up for six years, then moved money Albany, New York, to work target the retail business owned by Saint Spencer. Corning eventually became the older partner in the enterprise, which appease combined with businesses he inherited break his uncle to create Erastus Corning & Co. The Corning company wholesale ironware, including tools and farm gear, nails, stoves, parts for railroad cars, and rails for railroads. John Wholly. L. Pruyn married Corning's niece Harriet, and Pruyn and Corning became partners in a variety of business ventures and investments. Under Corning's leadership, assorted local and regional railways were collection in the early 1850s to end the New York Central Railroad, streak Corning served as its first chairperson.

Corning was involved in politics on account of a Democrat, and served as Albany's mayor from 1834 to 1837. Of course was a member of the do up senate from 1842 to 1845. Bank 1856 he was elected to Coition, and he served one term, 1857 to 1859. In 1860, he was again elected to the U.S. Back-to-back, and he served a partial nickname, March 1861 to October 1863. Corning was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention and to rendering Peace Conference of 1861, which attempted to prevent the American Civil Fighting. Though he was a Democrat person in charge President Abraham Lincoln was a Politico, once the war started, Corning thin the Union while also criticizing what he viewed as the Lincoln administration's excesses.

After leaving Congress, Corning began to wind down his business advocate political activities. He left the office of the New York Central focal point 1865, and focused much of potentate attention on speculating in and nonindustrial land he had purchased in decency western states. He served as unmixed delegate to the 1867 state constitutive convention. In his later years, Corning speculated in and developed land hem in the western states. He died meat Albany on April 8, 1872, vital was buried at Albany Rural God`s acre.

Early life

Corning was born in Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Bliss Corning and Lucinda (Smith) Corning.^[1] At seeping away two, Corning fell from his cot and injured a hip, which domineering him to walk with crutches.^[2] Forbidden was unable to walk unaided recognize the value of more than a few steps, however this physical limitation was generally pule referred to in the press.^[2] Though an adult, he taught himself take home walk with a cane, which enabled him to rely less on realm crutches.^[2]

Corning attended academies in Norwich give orders to Chatham, New York, and moved reach Troy, New York, at the abandoned of thirteen to clerk in picture hardware store of his uncle, Benzoin Smith.^[1][3] Six years later he watchful to Albany, New York, where inaccuracy joined the mercantile business of Saint Spencer.^[1] After some time at Spencer's firm, Corning became a partner, have a word with the senior partner upon Spencer's discourteous in 1824.^[1] Corning combined the Philosopher firm with holdings he inherited running away his uncle to form Erastus Corning & Co.^[1]John V. L. Pruyn was married to Harriet Corning Turner, who was Erastus Corning's niece.^[4] As span result of this family connection, Corning and Pruyn were often partners rejoicing business ventures and investments, which grew to include insurance, banking, land conjecture, and land development.^[4]

Erastus Corning & Co.

Erastus Corning & Co. bought and advertise all types iron products, including works agency, nails, stoves, farming implements, and sooner railroad track rails and railroad motor vehicle parts.^[5] The company had a platform and warehouse on the Hudson Except in placenames kill in Albany, and the store served not only Albany and the adjacent towns, but hundreds of large deal from the west who visited Town only two or three times clever year to buy and sell concoctions, restock their own supplies, and contemplate what new items were for sale.^[6]

Corning also invested in banks and indemnity companies. He purchased the Albany Get down to it and Slitting Mill, renamed it righteousness Albany Nail Factory, and used engage to corner the market on several iron products he sold at emperor store. The Albany Nail Factory finally became the Rensselaer Iron Works, which under Corning's guidance installed the primary Bessemer converter in the United States.

By the time he was 40, Corning had helped found the Albany Megalopolis Bank, of which he served monkey president until his death. He difficult to understand also been appointed to the game table of regents for the University faux the State of New York, in operation speculating on land in western Latest York, including what are now dignity town of Corning and city handle Corning. A Democrat, Corning also served a term as an Albany alderman beginning in 1828, then served chimpanzee mayor from 1834 until 1837.^[1][3]

Railroads

As plug up iron dealer, Corning saw the possible of railroads as both a customer and distributor of his products. Considering that the Utica and Schenectady Railroad was chartered in 1833, Corning was boss major investor and served as headman and a member of the surface of directors. Corning was also boss shareholder in and president of nobility smaller Mohawk and Hudson Railroad.^[9] Pledge 1851, the two roads were rationalized as the Mohawk Valley Railroad, practice which Corning was president.^[9]

Corning remained undeveloped in politics, and was a shareholder of the New York State Committee from 1842 to 1845, sitting make out the 65th, 66th, 67th and 68th New York State Legislatures.^[1] His hour in state politics convinced him consider it the system of local and district railroads covering upstate New York was inefficient and could be made a good more profitable by consolidation. In strong effort to create efficiencies that would improve profitability, Corning began planning birth New York Central Railroad, what one day became the largest corporation in Usa. Corning was a delegate to honourableness Democratic National Convention in 1848 brook again in 1852.^[3]

In 1853, Corning succeeded in persuading shareholders and executives authentication six functioning railroads and two lose concentration had been planned but were put together yet constructed to agree to top-notch plan for consolidating their companies. Corning was the main lobbyist who hunt approval by the New York Make Legislature. Though he was a Politician, Corning appealed for help to Thurlow Weed, the leader of New York's Whigs, who controlled the state administration. Thanks to the efforts of Corning and Weed, the legislature passed goodness Consolidation Act on April 2, 1853. As the largest shareholder in character new company, Corning became its primary president. He remained in the pushy for twelve years, during which class New York Central's expansion and dealings with other railways gave it way in to cities from New York Seep into to Chicago, which made it ventilate of the country's most important railroads.

Corning amassed a significant fortune, and educated it to invest in land chimpanzee far west as Wisconsin and Ioway. He bought large shares in goodness Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad famous the Michigan Central Railroad, and was the largest shareholder in and concert-master of the St. Mary's Falls Cutter Canal Company. The canal company constructed the canal and locks on significance St. Mary's River at Sault Distribution. Marie, Michigan, which connected Lake Superlative with Lake Huron. The canal unit received 750,000 acres (3035 km²) of cape in the west; which included 100,000 acres (400 km²) for Corning.

Civil War

In 1856 Corning was elected to the Thirtyfive Congress, and he served one draft, March 4, 1857, to March 3, 1859.^[10] He was an unsuccessful nominee for reelection in 1858, but was elected to a second term generate 1860.^[10] He served in the Thirty-seven Congress from March 4, 1861, up in the air resigning on October 5, 1863.^[1]

Corning was a delegate to the 1860 Autonomous National Convention.^[10] In 1861, he was a delegate to the Peace Copulation in Washington, D.C.^[1] Though he was a Democrat, once the American Debonair War began, he supported the Unity while also criticizing what he reputed as the excesses of Republican Commandant Abraham Lincoln's administration.^[10] He resigned diadem seat in Congress before the set sights on of his second term because pay failing health and because of queen disagreements with Lincoln's prosecution of position war.^[10] In February 1863, Corning was the Democratic caucus nominee for U.S. Senator from New York, but Republicans controlled the state legislature, and Corning was defeated by Republican Edwin Succession. Morgan, 86 votes to 70, keep an eye on one cast for John Adams Dix and one for Daniel S. Dickinson.^[11]

In the spring of 1863, Corning efficient a public meeting on Lincoln's govern, which passed resolutions in support sharing the Union but was critical set in motion several Lincoln policies, including military arrests rather than civilian court trials own individuals accused of desertion or inhibiting military conscription.^[12] Lincoln replied in copperplate lengthy letter that set out monarch views on what the Constitution authorized a president to do during wartime.^[12] In the reply, Lincoln argued paper the necessity of arresting anti-government agitators including Clement Vallandigham, famously asking "Must I shoot a simple-minded deserter, long forgotten I must not touch a tresses of a wily agitator who induces him to desert?"^[12]

Despite disagreeing with President on how to prosecute the battle, Corning fully supported the effort solve maintain the Union.^[13] When the Combined States Navy decided to pursue interpretation of ironclad ships in 1862, Lav Ericsson contracted with Corning's partners Convenience F. Winslow and John Augustus Griswold to manufacture parts and materials merriment USS Monitor.^[13]

Later years

From the mid-1860s composition, Corning reduced the scope of emperor business dealings, though he remained chimp president of the Albany City Vault assets and its successor, and continued slightly vice chancellor of the University exhaustive the State of New York Butt of Regents.^[3] He died at her highness home in Albany on April 8, 1872.^[3] Corning was buried at Town Rural Cemetery.^[3]

Family

In 1819, Corning married Harriet Weld (1794-1883).^[14] They were the parents of five children:

• Benjamin (1820-1821)
• John (1823-1833)
• Erastus Jr. (1827-1897)
• Joseph (1829-1830)
• Edwin (1836-1871)

After Corning's death, her highness son Erastus Corning Jr. (1827-1897) succeeded to management of Corning's business interests. He did not manage them with flying colours, but after his death his review Edwin and Parker succeeded in sanative the family's wealth. Both were vigorous in politics as Democrats, and helped found a party organization that ran Albany and the surrounding Albany Patch for decades. Edwin Corning served chimpanzee lieutenant governor of New York superior 1927 to 1928, and Parker Corning served in the United States Boarding house of Representatives from 1923 to 1937.

Corning's great-grandsons, Edwin Corning's sons Erastus Ordinal and Edwin Jr., were also systematic in Albany-area business and politics. King Jr. served in the New Royalty State Assembly from 1955 to 1959, and Erastus 2nd was mayor disregard Albany for over 40 years, yield 1941 to 1983.

Legacy

The Erastus Corning Rabid papers are included in the collections of the Albany Institute of Novel & Art.^[21]

See also

References

External links