Preceded by Samuel L. Mitchill Role American Politician Resigned March 3, 1815 Name Obadiah German Succeeded by Nathan Sanford | Nationality American Spouse Mary Ann German | |
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Born April 22, 1766
Amenia, New York ( 1766-04-22 ) Died September 24, 1842, Norwich, New York, United States Party Democratic-Republican Party | ||
Political party Democratic-Republican Previous office Senator (NY) 1809–1815 | ||
Obadiah German (April 22, 1766 – September 24, 1842) was an American lawyer and politician.
Contents
Life
He was born on April 22, 1766 in Amenia, New York. He was admitted to the bar in 1792, and commenced practice in Norwich. He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1798-99, from 1804 to 1805, from 1807 to 1809.
In 1809, he was elected a U.S. Senator from New York, and served from March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1815. German was known as a critic of the lack of military preparations made in advance of the War of 1812, and voted against the declaration of war. In 1812, German was one of the founding trustees of Hamilton College. He was First Judge of the Chenango County Court from 1814 to 1819. He was also a State militia officer, eventually becoming a major general.
Supporting DeWitt Clinton's Erie Canal project, German took part in planning and overseeing its construction after being appointed State Commissioner of Public Works in 1817. German returned to the Assembly in 1819 and, as a member of the Clintonian faction of the Democratic-Republican Party was chosen Speaker. Afterwards he resumed the practice of law. German became a Whig when that party was organized.
He died on September 24, 1842 in Norwich, New York. He was buried at the Riverside Cemetery in North Norwich, New York.
Family
Obadiah German was married twice. He had five children with his first wife, Mary Ann Lewis, known as Ann, who died in 1829.
After the death of his first wife he married Mary Ann Knight, a woman much younger than he. They had three children, and by some accounts the marriage was not a happy one, with Mary Ann Knight and the children living in Syracuse while Obadiah German continued to reside in Norwich.
Widow
Obadiah German's widow Mary Ann Knight claimed to have been defrauded by her brother (some accounts say German's brother) of German's estate, worth $70,000 (about $1.7 million in 2014). She took up residence in Syracuse, and became a public charge, her efforts at earning at living through painting and "fancy work" having failed. Her claim to be the widow of Sen. German was not believed in Syracuse until it was confirmed after her death "in a state of great destitution," according to the Syracuse Journal.
Legacy
The town of German, New York is named after him.