Daniel Cady, U.S. Representative

Judge Daniel Cady

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Cady
• https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/C000014
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7254864/daniel_cady

Judgel Cady was a prominent lawyer and judge in upstate New York. While perhaps better known today as the father of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Judge Cady had a full and accomplished life of his own.

Born in Canaan, Columbia County, New York, Cady studied law in Albany under John Woodworth and eventually settled in Johnstown, New York. Admitted to the bar in 1795, he began to practice law as an attorney during George Washington's presidency. As a young lawyer, he worked with such notables as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and toward the end of his career, he served on a case with Abraham Lincoln, where they each represented clients in a land dispute associated with Beloit College.

For a time, Cady prosecuted cases for the State as District Attorney of Montgomery County, New York. He also served in the New York State Assembly and in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is considered by some to be the father of Fulton County, New York, virtually engineering the county's creation himself after the Montgomery County seat was moved from Johnstown to Fonda, New York. The newly established county was named after Robert Fulton, a cousin of Cady's wife.

After a long and successful career as a trial lawyer, Cady became a Justice of the New York Supreme Court. His service on the Supreme Court, from 1847 to 1855, was a distinguished one. When the judicial system of New York was revised in 1847, Cady presided over the committee setting the rules for the newly formed New York Court of Appeals. He also served a year with distinction on that Court.

Daniel Cady died in Johnstown, New York on October 31, 1859.

Cady was born in that part of Canaan, Columbia County, New York which was later split off to form Chatham, New York. He was a son of Eleazer Cady (1745–1819) and Tryphena (née Beebe) Cady (1749–1839). His siblings included Typhema Cady (b. 1768), Zilpha Cady Halsey (1770–1858), Eleazer Cady (1775–1856), Ruth Cady (b. 1777), Sally Cady Eaton (1780–1816).

Through his elder brother Eleazer, he was uncle to John Watts Cady (1790–1854), also a U.S. Representative from New York.

He learned the shoemaker's trade, but accidentally injured an eye and lost the sight of it at age 18. He then studied law, first in Canaan with Judge Whiting, then in Troy with John Woodworth at the Albany Law School. Cady was admitted to the bar in 1795, and commenced practice in Florida, Montgomery County.

After a year in Florida, he moved to Johnstown, then the county seat. As a young lawyer, he worked with such notables as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and toward the end of his career, he served on a case with Abraham Lincoln, where they each represented clients in a land dispute associated with Beloit College.

Cady was elected as a member of the New York State Assembly in 1808, serving three consecutive terms in the 32nd, 33rd and 34th New York State Legislatures beginning on July 1, 1808 and continuing until June 30, 1811. From February to April 1813, Cady again served in the Assembly, this time the 36th New York State Legislature, while he was also the District Attorney of the Fifth District, which comprised Albany, Saratoga, Montgomery, Schoharie and Schenectady counties.

Cady was elected as a Federalist to the 14th United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1817. He was not a candidate for renomination and after serving in the U.S. Congress, returned to the practice of law.

From June 7, 1847 to January 1, 1855, Cady was a justice of the New York Supreme Court (4th D.) until he retired and resigned. Cady also served as an ex officio judge of the New York Court of Appeals in 1849 and 1853.

In 1856, Cady was a presidential elector on the Republican John C. Fremont ticket. Cady presided over the New York electoral college, which cast 35 votes for Fremont who lost the election to Democrat James Buchanan.

He is considered by some the father of Fulton County, virtually engineering the county's creation in 1838 after the Montgomery county seat was moved from Johnstown to Fonda, New York. The newly established county was named after Robert Fulton, a cousin of Cady's wife.

On July 8, 1801, Cady was married to Margaret Livingston (1785–1871), the daughter of Col. James Livingston, an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution who fought at Saratoga and Quebec, and assisted in the capture of Major John Andre at West Point. Five of their children died in early childhood or infancy. A sixth child, a son named Eleazar, died at age 20 just before his graduation from Union College in Schenectady, New York. Only five daughters lived well into adulthood and old age. Their surviving children included: Tryphenia Cady (1804–1891), who married Edward Bayard (1806–1889), a Union College classmate of Eleazar and son of James Bayard, a U.S. Senator. Eleazer Livingston Cady (1806–1826), who died at age 20 just before his graduation from Union College. Harriet Elizabeth Cady (1810–1894), who married Daniel Cady Eaton (1804–1855), a son of Amos Eaton and brother of General Amos Beebe Eaton, and her first cousin. Elizabeth Smith Cady (1815–1902), who married Henry Brewster Stanton, brother of Robert L. Stanton, in 1840. Margaret Chinn Cady (1817–1901), who married Duncan McMartin (1817–1894), son of Duncan McMartin Jr., a New York State Senator. Catherine Henry Cady (1820–1899), who married Samuel Wilkeson (1817–1889), son of Samuel Wilkeson, a Mayor of Buffalo. His wife was an unusually tall woman for her time, had a commanding presence, whom their daughter Elizabeth described as "queenly." Margaret was said to have been emotionally devastated by the loss of so many children and fell into a depression, which prevented her from being fully involved in the lives of her surviving children.

Cady died in Johnstown on October 31, 1859. He was buried at Johnstown Cemetery.

His wife's sister, Elizabeth Livingston who married Peter Gerrit Smith, was the mother of Gerrit Smith, the prominent abolitionist who was married to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh. Smith was a candidate for President of the United States in 1848, 1856, and 1860.

Through his daughter, Elizabeth, he was the grandfather of Daniel Cady Stanton (1842–1891), Henry Brewster Stanton, Jr. (1844–1903), Gerrit Smith Stanton (1845–1927), Theodore Weld Stanton (1851–1925), a prominent journalist, Margaret Livingston Stanton Lawrence (1852–1930), Harriot Eaton Stanton Blatch (1856–1940), also a suffragist, and Robert Livingston Stanton (1859–1920).[19]

Through his daughter, Harriet, he was the grandfather of Daniel Cady Eaton (1834-1895), professed botany at Yale College in the 1860s.