Jonah Sanford

American politician

Jonah Sanford

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 20th district
In office
November 3, 1830 – March 3, 1831
Preceded by| George Fisher
Succeeded by| Daniel Wardwell
Personal details
Born| November 30, 1790
Cornwall, Vermont, U.S.
Died| December 25, 1867 (aged 77)
Hopkinton, New York, U.S.
Resting place| Hopkinton Cemetery

Jonah Sanford (November 30, 1790 – December 25, 1867) was an American lawyer, jurist, and War of 1812 veteran who served briefly as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1830 to 1831.

He was a great-grandfather of Rollin Brewster Sanford.

## Biography

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Born in Cornwall, Vermont, Sanford attended the district schools. He moved to Hopkinton, New York, in 1811. Enlisted as a volunteer for the War of 1812 and participated in the battle at Plattsburgh, September 11, 1814. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1818 and served for twenty-two years. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar and practiced in Franklin County. Town Supervisor of Hopkinton 1823-1826. Commissioned a captain of Volunteer Cavalry in 1827.

### War of 1812

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He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1828, colonel in 1831, and brigadier general of state militia in 1832 and 1833.

### Political career

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He was a member of the New York State Assembly in 1829 and 1830.

Sanford was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Silas Wright, Jr., and served from November 3, 1830, to March 3, 1831.

### Career after Congress

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He served as judge of the court of common pleas 1831-1837. He served as delegate to the convention to revise the State constitution in 1846. He became a Republican upon the formation of that party in 1856. During the American Civil War, Sanford raised the 92nd New York Volunteer Infantry and was elected its colonel.

### Death

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He died in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, New York, on December 25, 1867. He was interred in Hopkinton Cemetery.

### Family

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His son Jonah Sanford, Jr. (born 1821) was a member of the State Assembly in 1874.

## Sources

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* United States Congress. "Jonah Sanford (id: S000050)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

Preceded by

George Fisher

|  Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 20th congressional district
November 3, 1830 – March 3, 1831  | Succeeded by

Daniel Wardwell

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

People|

* US Congress

Other|

* SNAC
* Yale LUX