Cornelius P. Van Ness
American judge
Cornelius P. Van Ness
In office 1844–1845President John Tyler Preceded by Edward Curtis Succeeded by Cornelius Lawrence In office December 9, 1829 – December 21, 1836Appointed by Andrew Jackson Preceded by Alexander Hill Everett Succeeded by William T. Barry (died en route to Spain) John Eaton (next to act as Ambassador) In office October 10, 1823 – October 13, 1826Lieutenant Aaron Leland Preceded by Richard Skinner Succeeded by Ezra Butler In office 1821–1823Preceded by Dudley Chase Succeeded by Richard Skinner In office 1818–1822Preceded by Luther Loomis Succeeded by George Robinson In office 1810–1813President James Madison Preceded by David Fay Succeeded by Titus Hutchinson
Born Cornelius Peter Van Ness
(1782-01-26 ) January 26, 1782Kinderhook , New York, U.S.Died December 15, 1852(1852-12-15) (aged 70)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , U.S. Political party Democratic-Republican Democratic Spouse(s) Rhoda Savage Magdalena Allus Children 5, including James Relatives John P. Van Ness (brother)William P. Van Ness (brother)Education Washington Seminary Profession Lawyer Signature
Cornelius Peter Van Ness (January 26, 1782 – December 15, 1852) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the tenth governor of Vermont from 1823 to 1826 and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Spain from 1829 to 1836. Van Ness was a Democratic-Republican and later a Democrat .[1]
Early life
Van Ness was born in Kinderhook, New York , on January 26, 1782, to a family of Dutch Americans .[2] His father was Judge Peter Van Ness (1734–1804), who owned most of the land which President Martin Van Buren later purchased for construction of the Lindenwald estate. Cornelius Van Ness was the brother of William P. Van Ness and John Peter Van Ness .
Career
Cornelius Van Ness attended Washington Seminary , and in 1800 he began to study at his brother William's law office in New York City at the same time as Martin Van Buren. Van Ness was admitted to the bar four years later, and moved to St. Albans, Vermont , in 1806. He relocated to Burlington, Vermont , in 1809 when he was appointed United States district attorney for the district of Vermont. He was made collector of customs for the district of Vermont in 1813 and in 1816 President James Madison named Van Ness one of the federal commissioners who negotiated with commissioners from Great Britain to settle the northeastern boundary between the United States and Canada .
Initially a member of the Democratic-Republican Party and later a Democrat , he was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives from 1818 to 1822. He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1821 to 1823. In 1823 he became Governor of Vermont . After being twice re-elected, in 1826 he declined re-election and went back to practicing law until 1829 when he became envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court of Spain . William T. Barry was appointed to the post in April, 1835, but died in Liverpool on August 30, without assuming his duties in Spain. President Jackson then appointed John H. Eaton , and Van Ness departed on December 21, 1836.[3]
From 1844 to 1845 Van Ness was Collector of the Port of New York .[4]
Personal life
He married twice. His first wife was Rhoda Savage of Chatham, New York , with whom he had five children.[5] [6] She died in 1834 while her husband was Minister to Spain.[7] Cornelius Van Ness later married a Spanish woman, Madalena (or Magdalena) Allus, who survived him.[8] [9] Madalena Van Ness later filed a claim with Congress to reimburse the Van Ness family for fees Van Ness had not collected while he was Collector of Customs for Vermont during the War of 1812 .[10] His children with Rhoda were:
Van Ness died at the Girard House hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , on December 15, 1852, and is interred in Van Ness Mausoleum with his brother John P. Van Ness . The mausoleum originally stood on H Street, and was later moved to Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C. [14] [15]
References
^ TheUS50.com. List of Vermont State Governors .
^ "Kinderhook, New York" . City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014 .
^ The Political Graveyard. Entry for "Van Ness, Cornelius Peter" .
^ Newspaper article, The New York Custom House , Brooklyn Union-Argus, July 21, 1879, transcribed for the Brooklyn Genealogy web site by Kathy Jost-Shouse
^ James T. White, The National Cyclopedia of American Biography , Volume VIII, 1898, page 316
^ Neil Broadhurst, The Savage Family of Shefford , 1992, page 100
^ Neil Broadhurst, The Savage family of Shefford , 1992, page 100
^ Robert Sobel, John Raimo, Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978 , Volume 4, 1978, page 1567
^ Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Baltimore: Biography , 1912, page 533
^ Congressional Globe, Madalena Van Ness , July 22, 1848, page 1848
^ Salmon Portland Chase, John Niven, The Salmon P. Chase Papers: Correspondence, 1823-1857 , 1995, Page 27
^ William Arba Ellis, Norwich University, 1819–1911 , Volume 2, 1911, page 245
^ Charles Barney Whittelsey, The Roosevelt Genealogy, 1649–1902 , 1902, page 51
^ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography , by James Terry White, Volume 8, 1898, page 316
^ "Roosevelt Families in the National Capital" . Evening Star . November 27, 1932. p. 6. Retrieved August 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
External links
(*) denotes nominated, but rejected
(**) denotes nominated, but declined
(***) denotes Acting
Ministers Plenipotentiary to Spain (1779–1825) Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain (1825–1913) Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Spain (1913–present)
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