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  Van Buren, John
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationDemocratic   
NameJohn Van Buren
Address
, New York , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born February 18, 1810
DiedOctober 13, 1866 (56 years)
ContributorThomas Walker
Last ModifedThomas Walker
Jan 30, 2008 12:08pm
Tags
InfoJohn Van Buren (February 18, 1810 Hudson, Columbia County, New York - October 13, 1866) was an American lawyer and politician.

He was the second son of President Martin Van Buren and graduated from Yale College in 1828. In 1831, when his father was appointed U.S. Minister to Britain, he accompanied him as secretary of the American Legation in London. Both returned in 1832 after Congress failed to confirm the appointment.

On June 22, 1841, he married Elizabeth Vanderpoel (May 22, 1810 - November 19, 1844).

He served as New York State Attorney General from 1845 to 1847. He was the last NY state attorney general elected by the joint ballot of Assembly and Senate, under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1821. In 1845, he conducted personally the accusation of the leaders of the Anti-Rent War at their trial for murder. Ambrose L. Jordan led for the defense. At the first trial the jury disagreed. At the re-trial, in September 1845, the two leading counsel started a fist-fight in open court, and were both sentenced by the presiding judge, Justice John W. Edmonds, to "solitary confinement in the county jail for 24 hours." Governor Silas Wright refused to accept Van Buren's resignation, and both counsel continued with the case after their release from jail. The defendant, Big Thunder, was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the next state election Governor Wright was defeated by John Young who had the support of the Anti-Renters. Young pardoned Big Thunder who was released from jail. At the first popular election for NY state attorney general, under the provisions of the new State Constitution of 1846, Van Buren was defeated by Ambrose Jordan who succeeded to the office in November 1847.

In 1848, he was the leader of the Barnburner faction of the Democratic Party which repudiated the Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore. They met for a State Convention in Utica, New York on June 22 and nominated his father as the presidential candidate of the Barnburners. On August 9, the National Convention of the Free Soil Party, held at Buffalo, New York, endorsed the nomination of the ex-president.

In 1865, he ran again for the office of NY state attorney general on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by Republican John H. Martindale. Afterwards he traveled to Europe and died at sea on the return voyage from Liverpool to New York City.

He was born February 18, 1810. He died at sea of kidney failure on October 13, 1866. He was 56. John Van Buren is one of the most colorful of the presidential children. Graduating from Yale in his teens and admitted to the New York bar in his twenties, gave him a head start in life. But he quickly squandered any advantage he was given. His pursuits in life were drinking, gambling and promiscuity. After carousing his way through Europe on his father's expense account, he was able to return stateside and build a career in law and as a U. S. Congressman. Marriage to Elizabeth VanderPoel brought only temporary respite to his notorious partying. To his credit he had moments of courage, standing boldly against slavery, but his personal life descended into further scandal. Finally, his alcoholism left him an invalid and eventually took his life.

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I:0Howard Blue ( 0.0000 points)
Tue, October 4, 2016 02:01:46 PM UTC0:00
For a book on the 19th century anti rent wars of the Hudson Valley, I'd appreciate citation of the sources of information on Van Buren's alleged alcoholism.

Howard Blue menrevs@gmail.com

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FAMILY
Father Martin Van Buren 1782-1862
Grandmother Maria Hoes Van Alen Van Buren 1747-1819
Uncle James I. Van Alen 1776-1870
Brother Abraham Van Buren 1807-1873
Brother Martin "Mat" Van Buren, Jr. 1812-1855
Brother Smith Thompson Van Buren 1817-1876
Mother Hannah Hoes Van Buren 1783-1819

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  11/07/1865 NY Attorney General Lost 47.28% (-5.43%)
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