Farrand Stranahan
Encyclopedia
This article is about the New York State Senator; for his grandson, the Lt. Gov. of Vermont see Farrand S. Stranahan
Farrand Stranahan (1778 Canaan
, Columbia County, New York
- October 22, 1826 Cooperstown
, Otsego County, New York
) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
. Judge Cooper had founded the Village of Cooperstown and the Coopers remained the largest land-owners in the area. Stranahan thus was put in charge of the legal business deriving from the land-holdings, like collecting debts and foreclosing mortgages. The partnership was dissolved in January 1807 over a political disagreement.
In 1807, the Democratic-Republican Party in New York was split in two factions: the "Lewisites" (supporters of the incumbent Governor Morgan Lewis
); and the "Clintonians" (supporters of DeWitt Clinton
). The Coopers were Federalists and had dominated local politics since the foundation of the village. The Federalists supported Lewis in his run for re-election against his Clintonian challenger Daniel D. Tompkins
. Stranahan however was influenced by his landlord Elihu Phinney
to support Tompkins.
During the election campaign, on April 3, 1807, on Phinney's instructions, the New York State Legislature incorporated Cooperstown as the "Village of Otsego", thus insulting Judge Cooper by "stealing" his village, but the incorporation act was not published in Cooperstown until after the election. Cooper campaigned vigorously for Lewis, but Tompkins was elected Governor, carrying also Otsego County. On May 14, the result of the election
was published by Phinney in his Otsego Herald together with the incorporation act, calling for a meeting to elect the village trustees. On May 19, five friends of Judge Cooper were elected trustees. At this meeting Judge Cooper insulted the leading Democratic-Republicans, including Stranahan, who two days later avenged his honor by attacking Cooper in the street, severely beating him with his cane. Stranahan was arrested, tried and fined $30 for the assault. On May 23, the trustees met again and refused to take any further action until the original name was restored to the village. This happened only in 1812 when the Federalists had the next time a majority in the State Legislature, and the "Village of Cooperstown" was re-incorporated.
Stranahan married Sarah Stewart (1768-1824, daughter of Gen. Charles Stewart (1729–1800)). Their only child was Farrand Stewart Stranahan (1812-1845), and the latter's son was Lt. Gov. of Vermont Farrand Stewart Stranahan (1842-1904).
During the War of 1812
, Stranahan was a colonel
and was taken prisoner during the Battle of Queenston Heights
.
He was a member of the New York State Senate
from 1814 to 1816 (Western D.), and from 1823 to 1824 (6th D.). He was a member of the Council of Appointment
in 1815. He was a presidential elector in 1820
voting for James Monroe
and Daniel D. Tompkins
.
In 1824, Stranahan was one of the 17 State senators (a majority of the 32-seat State Senate) who voted against the election of presidential electors by popular ballot. This had been the main issue of the year, and the "People's Party", which advocated the popular election, achieved a landslide victory at the State election in November.
Farrand Stranahan (1778 Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
, Columbia County, New York
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
- October 22, 1826 Cooperstown
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, Otsego County, New York
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Life
He was the son of John Stranahan and Lucy (Buck) Stranahan. In 1801, he removed to Cooperstown, and practiced law there. In 1803, he formed a partnership with Richard Fenimore Cooper, the oldest son of Judge William CooperWilliam Cooper (judge)
William Cooper was the founder of Cooperstown, New York and father of writer James Fenimore Cooper, who apparently used his father as the pattern for the Judge Marmaduke Temple character in his book The Pioneers....
. Judge Cooper had founded the Village of Cooperstown and the Coopers remained the largest land-owners in the area. Stranahan thus was put in charge of the legal business deriving from the land-holdings, like collecting debts and foreclosing mortgages. The partnership was dissolved in January 1807 over a political disagreement.
In 1807, the Democratic-Republican Party in New York was split in two factions: the "Lewisites" (supporters of the incumbent Governor Morgan Lewis
Morgan Lewis (governor)
Morgan Lewis was an American lawyer, politician and military commander.Of Welsh descent, he was the son of Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He graduated from Princeton in 1773 and began to study law on the advice of his father...
); and the "Clintonians" (supporters of DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
). The Coopers were Federalists and had dominated local politics since the foundation of the village. The Federalists supported Lewis in his run for re-election against his Clintonian challenger Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
. Stranahan however was influenced by his landlord Elihu Phinney
Elihu Phinney
Elihu Phinney was the first printer in Cooperstown, New York. In the early 1790s he lived in Canaan, Columbia County, New York, where he published the Columbian Mercury, and Canaan Repository of Rural Knowledge....
to support Tompkins.
During the election campaign, on April 3, 1807, on Phinney's instructions, the New York State Legislature incorporated Cooperstown as the "Village of Otsego", thus insulting Judge Cooper by "stealing" his village, but the incorporation act was not published in Cooperstown until after the election. Cooper campaigned vigorously for Lewis, but Tompkins was elected Governor, carrying also Otsego County. On May 14, the result of the election
New York gubernatorial election, 1807
The 1807 New York gubernatorial election was held in April 1807 to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New York.-Results:-See also:*New York gubernatorial elections*New York state elections...
was published by Phinney in his Otsego Herald together with the incorporation act, calling for a meeting to elect the village trustees. On May 19, five friends of Judge Cooper were elected trustees. At this meeting Judge Cooper insulted the leading Democratic-Republicans, including Stranahan, who two days later avenged his honor by attacking Cooper in the street, severely beating him with his cane. Stranahan was arrested, tried and fined $30 for the assault. On May 23, the trustees met again and refused to take any further action until the original name was restored to the village. This happened only in 1812 when the Federalists had the next time a majority in the State Legislature, and the "Village of Cooperstown" was re-incorporated.
Stranahan married Sarah Stewart (1768-1824, daughter of Gen. Charles Stewart (1729–1800)). Their only child was Farrand Stewart Stranahan (1812-1845), and the latter's son was Lt. Gov. of Vermont Farrand Stewart Stranahan (1842-1904).
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Stranahan was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and was taken prisoner during the Battle of Queenston Heights
Battle of Queenston Heights
The Battle of Queenston Heights was the first major battle in the War of 1812 and resulted in a British victory. It took place on 13 October 1812, near Queenston, in the present-day province of Ontario...
.
He was a member of the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1814 to 1816 (Western D.), and from 1823 to 1824 (6th D.). He was a member of the Council of Appointment
Council of Appointment
The Council of Appointment was a body of the Government of New York that existed from 1777 to 1822.-History:...
in 1815. He was a presidential elector in 1820
United States presidential election, 1820
The United States presidential election of 1820 was the third and last presidential election in United States history in which a candidate ran effectively unopposed. In 1820, President James Monroe and Vice President Daniel D...
voting for James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
and Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
.
In 1824, Stranahan was one of the 17 State senators (a majority of the 32-seat State Senate) who voted against the election of presidential electors by popular ballot. This had been the main issue of the year, and the "People's Party", which advocated the popular election, achieved a landslide victory at the State election in November.
Sources
- Who Murdered William Cooper? essay by Alan Taylor, published in New York History (Vol. LXXII, No. 3, July 1991; pp. 261-283)
- Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont by Hiram D. Carleton (page 306) [gives wrong birthplace "Cooperstown"]
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 101, 122, 125, 146, 321 and 326; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
- Genealogies of the Stranahan, Josselyn, Fitch and Dow families in North America by Henry Reed Stiles (pages 19f)