Azariah Boody (April 21, 1815 – November 18, 1885) was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives, a railroad investor, and a trustee of the University of Rochester. He was born in Stanstead County, Quebec. He was married to Ambia Corson Boody (March 24, 1814 - March 17, 1902).
In 1852, Boody was elected to the Thirty-third United States Congress. He resigned from this position in 1853, citing "pre-existing obligations."
Boody invested heavily in railroads, and was responsible for several New York lines (including the Genesee Valley Railroad, the Niagara Falls Railroad, and the Rochester Lockport Railroad) being consolidated with others into the New York Central Railroad system. He also served on the board of directors of the Lake Erie, Wabash, and St. Louis Railroad Company, and was the president of the Wabash and Toledo Railroad Company until 1873.
Boody's name is still honored by the University of Rochester community. There is or has been a "secret organization" called the Azariah Boody Society, dedicated to promoting school spirit. The popular school song "The Dandelion Yellow," written by Charles F. Cole and Richard L. Greenen in 1925, contains a verse commemorating Boody's donation of his cow pastures to the university:
O, Azariah Boody's cows were sleek and noble kine
They wandered o'er the verdant fields where grew the dandelion.
And when they drove the cows away to build a home for knowledge
They took the color from the flow'r and gave it to the college.
Boody died of pneumonia in 1885, and was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jerediah Horsford |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 29th congressional district 1852 - 1853 |
Succeeded by Davis Carpenter |