Albert H. Tracy

Summary

Albert Haller Tracy (June 17, 1793 – September 19, 1859) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Albert H. Tracy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York
In office
March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821
Serving with Nathaniel Allen
Preceded by
Succeeded byElijah Spencer
Constituency21st district
In office
December 3, 1821 – March 3, 1825
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byDaniel G. Garnsey
Constituency22nd district (1821–1823)
30th district (1823–1825)
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 8th district
In office
1830–1837
Preceded byEthan B. Allen
Succeeded byWilliam A. Moseley
Personal details
Born(1793-06-17)June 17, 1793
Norwich, Connecticut, United States
DiedSeptember 19, 1859(1859-09-19) (aged 66)
Buffalo, New York, United States
Resting placeForest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York, United States
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Other political
affiliations
RelativesPhineas L. Tracy (brother)

Life edit

Tracy pursued classical studies, and later studied medicine. In 1811, Tracy removed to New York, where he stopped studying medicine and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1815, commenced practice in Buffalo, and became a prominent attorney.[1] In 1825, Tracy married Harriet Foote Norton, daughter of Ebenezer F. Norton, a New York state Assemblyman and later U.S. Representative.[2] The couple had two sons: Albert Haller Tracy (b. 1834) and Francis Walsingham Tracy (b. 1839).

Tracy was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 16th, 17th and 18th United States Congresses, holding office from March 4, 1819, to March 3, 1825. He was Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (17th Congress). In February 1825, Tracy was brought forward as a compromise candidate for U.S. Senator from New York, and was nominated by resolution in the State Senate, but the different majority in the State Assembly refused to concur, and nobody was elected.

In March 1826, Tracy was appointed as Judge of the Eighth Circuit Court, but declined to take office. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1830 to 1838, and was aligned politically with the Anti-Masons and later the Whigs.[1] Tracy sat in the 53rd, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th and 60th New York State Legislatures.

Tracy was involved in business and cultural organizations within Buffalo throughout his life. He was one of the nine original members of the Buffalo Harbor Company, which was organized in 1819. Tracy was a member of the first board of directors of the branch of the United States Bank, which was established in Buffalo in 1826. He was one of the incorporators in 1846 of the University at Buffalo. Tracy was also the president of the Buffalo Water Works Company from 1855 to 1859.[1]

He died in Buffalo on September 19, 1859, and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Family edit

Albert Tracy was the son of Dr. Philemon Tracy (1757–1837, a physician) and Abigail (Trott) Tracy. Congressman Phineas L. Tracy was his brother.

See also edit

Sources edit

  • United States Congress. "Albert H. Tracy (id: T000343)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 71, 128ff, 146 and 356; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
  • Genealogy of the Family of Lt. Thomas Tracy, of Norwich Connecticut by Matilda O. Abbey (pages 101, 118ff and 125) [incorrectly gives September 12 as death date]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Albert Haller Tracy Papers, 1815-1874; bulk 1821-1844". New York State Library Website. New York State Library. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  2. ^ Bowman, Fred (1986). 10,000 Vital Records of Central New York: 1813-1850. Baltimore Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 21st congressional district

1819–1821
with Nathaniel Allen
Succeeded by
Preceded by
new district
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 22nd congressional district

1821–1823
Succeeded by
New district Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 30th congressional district

1823–1825
Succeeded by
New York State Senate
Preceded by New York State Senate
Eighth District (Class 3)

1830–1837
Succeeded by