Smith Ely Jr.
Smith Ely Jr. (April 17, 1825 – July 1, 1911) was the 82nd Mayor of New York City and member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.
Biography
He was born in Hanover Township, New Jersey on April 17, 1825.
He completed preparatory studies and was graduated from the University of the City of New York (now New York University) and, in 1845, from New York University School of Law.[1] He was admitted to the bar the same year, but never practiced law. Instead, he engaged in mercantile pursuits in New York.
He was active in various public offices:
- school commissioner, 1856–1860;
- state senator, 1858 and 1859;
- county supervisor, 1860–1870;
- commissioner of public instruction, 1867;
- Democratic Representative to the Forty-second Congress, March 4, 1871 - March 4, 1873; 'not' a candidate for renomination in 1872;
- Representative to the Forty-fourth Congress, March 4, 1875, to the date of his resignation, December 11, 1876; chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury; and
- mayor of New York in 1877 and 1878.
In 1895, he was appointed commissioner of parks and served until 1897, when he retired from public life. In 1911, he died in Livingston, Essex County, New Jersey, where he was interred in a private cemetery on his farm.
References
- ↑ Smith Ely, Jr., Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed February 23, 2011.
Sources
- United States Congress. "Smith Ely Jr. (id: E000167)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
New York State Senate | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Mark Spencer |
New York State Senate 5th District 1858–1859 |
Succeeded by Bernard Kelly |
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
Preceded by Hervey C. Calkin |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 7th congressional district 1871–1873 |
Succeeded by Thomas J. Creamer |
Preceded by Thomas J. Creamer |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 7th congressional district 1875—1876 |
Succeeded by David Dudley Field II |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by William H. Wickham |
Mayor of New York City 1877–1878 |
Succeeded by Edward Cooper |