John Van Buren

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This article is about the son of President Martin Van Buren, for the United States representative see John Van Buren (US representative).

John Van Buren (February 18, 1810 Hudson, Columbia County, New York - October 13, 1866) was an American lawyer and politician.

[edit] Life

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 some leaders of the Anti-Rent War at their trial for riot, conspiracy and robbery. 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, Smith A. Boughton ("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.

In 1848, John Van Buren 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.

[edit] Sources

[1] NY history
[2] Political Graveyard
[3] Van Buren Genealogy
[4] An account of the altercation at the trial
[5] History of Columbia County, New York by Captain Franklin Ellis (Everts & Ensign, Philadelphia PA, 1878)
[6] List of New York Attorneys General, at Office of the NYSAG