Charles S. Cary

American politician

Charles S. Cary

Charles S. Cary (November 25, 1827 – August 7, 1906) was a New York lawyer, politician and railroad executive who served as Solicitor of the United States Treasury.

## Biography

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He was born in Hornellsville, New York on November 25, 1827. He attended Alfred Academy and in 1850 graduated from State and National Law School in Ballston Spa. After passing the bar Cary began a practice in Olean.[1]

During the Civil War Cary served as enrollment commissioner for a district that included western New York, and from 1865 to 1866 he was the federal collector of internal revenue for the same district.[2][3]

In 1875 Cary was the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives in a special election held to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Augustus F. Allen, and lost narrowly to Republican Nelson I. Norton. Cary could have contested the election on the grounds that Republican ballots were invalid because they were printed with the heading "For Member of Congress" rather than the legally required "For Representative in Congress." Cary declined to challenge the results, and Norton was seated.[4]

Cary was a member of the New York State Assembly (Cattaraugus Co., 1st D.) in 1883.[5][6]

A longtime friend of Grover Cleveland, in 1888 Cleveland appointed Cary Solicitor of the Treasury, and Cary served until 1889.[7][8]

Cary was involved in banking, including serving as an original incorporator of the Exchange National Bank of Olean. He was also active in railroads, including holding the presidencies of the Olean, Bradford & Warren, Kendall & Eldred and Olean & Bolivar lines. In addition, he was a vice president of the Coudersport and Port Allegheny Railroad.[9][10]

Cary died in Olean on August 7, 1906.[11][12] He was buried in Olean's Mount View Cemetery, Section Sec-B-227.[13]

## References

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1. ^ Who's Who in New York City and State, edited by Lewis Randolph Hamersly, Issue 2, 1905, page 170
2. ^ Biography, Charles S. Cary Archived April 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Olean, New York. "The City of Natural Advantages, Edited by L. E. Chapin, published by Persons, Sibley & Spaulding, Art Printing House, Office of the Olean Daily Herald newspaper, 1889, page 58
3. ^ Newspaper article, Charles S. Cary Dies at Olean, Buffalo Morning Express, August 8, 1906
4. ^ Newspaper article, Contested Elections, New York Times, December 1, 1875
5. ^ Documents of the Senate of the State of New York, published by New York State Legislature, 1883, page 51
6. ^ Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, published by Weed, parsons and Company, Albany, Volume 1, 1883, page 1
7. ^ Charles S. Cary entry, The Collector magazine, August, 1896, page 160
8. ^ Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States, published by U.S. Government Printing Office, 1901, page 184
9. ^ The Men of New York: A Collection of Biographies and Portraits of Citizens, published by Geo. E. Matthews & Co., Buffalo, Volume I, 1898, pages 94 to 95
10. ^ The Railway Age magazine, August 10, 1900, page 113
11. ^ Newspaper article, Obituary Notes, Charles S. Cary, New York Times, August 8, 1906
12. ^ Newspaper article, Charles S. Cary Dead, Washington Post, August 8, 1906
13. ^ Nancy Thomas, Painted Hills Genealogy Society, Transcript, Mount View Cemetery, 2010

New York State Assembly

Preceded by

Elisha M. Johnson

|  New York State Assembly
Cattaraugus County, 1st District
1883  | Succeeded by

Frederick W. Kruse

Legal offices
Preceded by

Alexander McCue

|  Solicitor of the United States Treasury
1888–1889  | Succeeded by

William P. Hepburn