David Bennett HILL, Congress, NY (1843-1910)

HILL, David Bennett, a Senator from New York; born in Havana (now Montour Falls), Chemung (now Schuyler) County, N.Y., August 29, 1843; attended the public schools; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1864 and commenced practice in Elmira, N.Y.; city attorney the same year; member, State assembly 1871-1872, serving as speaker in 1872; mayor of Elmira 1882; president of the New York State Bar Association 1886-1887; lieutenant governor 1882; Governor of New York 1885-1892; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate on January 1, 1891, for the term beginning March 4, 1891, but did not assume these duties until later, preferring to continue as Governor; served from January 7, 1892, to March 3, 1897; was not a candidate for reelection in 1896; chairman, Committee on Immigration (Fifty-third Congress); while Senator was nominated for Governor of New York in 1894 but was defeated; resumed the practice of law; died in Albany, N.Y., October 20, 1910; interment in Montour Cemetery, Montour Falls, N.Y.

Bibliography

Dictionary of American Biography; Bass, Herbert J. “David B. Hill and the Steal of the Senate, 1891.” New York History 41 (July 1960): 299-311; Bass, Herbert J. “I Am A Democrat”: The Political Career of David Bennett Hill. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1961.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present