The Political Graveyard, Part 3
by Don Rittner

If you have had enough about politicians in Troy (dead ones, that is), I promise this is the last installment for a while. We already discussed Troy born politicians and non natives who called Troy home. This week we will finalize the series with a final statement on the subject - politicians who chose Troy as their final resting place.

Almost two dozen politicians are buried here scattered about in five cemeteries. One of these cemeteries is now history (do you know which one?).

Mt. Ida Cemetery

David Lowrey Seymour (1803-1867). Born in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut on December 2, 1803. Democrat. Lawyer. Member of New York State Assembly, 1836; U.S. Representative from New York 12th District, 1843-45, 1851-53; delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1860; delegate to New York state constitutional convention, 1867.

John Bird (1768-1806). Born in Litchfield, Connecticut on November 22, 1768. Democrat. Member of New York State Assembly, 1796; U.S. Representative from New York 6th District, 1799-1801.

Oakwood Cemetery

Dean Park Taylor (1902-1977). Born in Troy. U.S. House of Reps. (29th District 1943-45, 33rd District 1945-53, 31st District 1953-61).

John Dean Dickinson (1767-1841). Born in Middletown, Connecticut, 1767. Member of New York State Legislature; U.S. Representative from New York, 1819-23, 1827-31 (10th District 1819-23, 9th District 1827-31).

John Augustus Griswold (1822-1872). Born in Nassau, Rensselaer County, on 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. Helped finance and make the Ironclad Monitor.

William Henry Draper (1841-1921). Born in Rochdale, Mass., June 24, 1841. Republican. U.S. Representative from New York, 1901-13 (19th District 1901-03, 22nd District 1903-13).

Ernest Harold Cluett (1874-1954). Born in Troy. U.S. House of Reps. (29th District, 1937-43)

Job Pierson (1791-1860). Born in East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York, 1791. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1831-35.

John Paine Cushman (1784-1848). Born in Pomfret, Connecticut, 1784. U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1817-19; state court judge.

George Tibbits (1763-1849). Born in Warwick, Rhode Island, 1763. 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. Tibbits Avenue name for him.

Martin Ingham Townsend (1810-1903). Born in Hancock, Massachusetts, 1810. Republican. U.S. Representative from New York 17th District, 1875-79.

Russell Sage (1816-1906). Born in Shenandoah, Oneida County, N.Y., August 4, 1816. Whig. Delegate to Whig National Convention from New York, 1848; U.S. Representative from New York 13th District, 1853-57.

Eliphalet Wickes (1769-1850) Born in Huntington, Long Island, New York, 1769. U.S. Representative from New York 1st District, 1805-07.

Henry Vail (1782-1853) Born in Mibrook, Dutchess County, New York, 1782. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 9th District, 1837-39.

John Richardson Thurman (1814-1854) Born in New York City, 1814. U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 1849-51.

Joseph Mabbett Warren (1813-1896). Born in Troy, 1813. Democrat. Mayor; U.S. Representative from New York 15th District, 1871-73.

Edward Whitford Greenman (1840-1908). Born in Berlin, Rensselear County, New York, 1840. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1887-89.

Edward Worthington Pattison (1932-1990). Born in Troy, April 29, 1932. Democrat. Rensselaer County (N.Y.) treasurer, 1970-1975; elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-fourth and to the Ninety fifth Congresses (January 3, 1975-January 3, 1979).

St. Mary's Cemetery

Edward Murphy, Jr. (1836-1911). Born in Troy, 1836. Mayor of Troy; New York Democratic state chair, 1887-94; U.S. Senator from New York, 1893-99).

Michael F. Collins. (n.d.). Born in Troy, Member of New York State Senate, 1888-91, 1894-95 (16th District 1888-91, 18th District 1894-95).

St. Peter's Cemetery

John Morrissey (1831-1878). Also known as "Old Smoke." 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, 1875-78; died in office 1878. Champion heavyweight boxer of the U.S. in 1852-59; proprietor of gambling houses in Saratoga. He called Troy home.

Troy Cemetery

Walter Irving McCoy (1859-1933). Born in Troy, December 8, 1859. Democrat. U.S. Representative from New Jersey, 1911-15 (8th District 1911-13, 9th District 1913-15); state court judge.

If anything, this series proves the old saying that "old politicians never die." They keep getting written about!