# New York General Assembly

The General Assembly of New York, commonly known internationally as the New York General Assembly, and domestically simply as General Assembly, was the supreme legislative body of the Province of New York during its period of proprietal colonialship and the legislative body of the Province during its period as a crown colony. It was the representative governing body in New York until April 3, 1775, when the Assembly disbanded after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

## Background

The New York General Assembly was first convened on October 17, 1683, during the governorship of Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick, which passed an act entitled "A Charter of Liberties" that decreed that the supreme legislative power under the Duke of York (later King James II) shall reside in a governor, council, and the people convened in general assembly; conferred upon the members of the assembly rights and privileges making them a body coequal to and independent of the English Parliament; established town, county, and general courts of justice; solemnly proclaimed the right of religious liberty; and passed acts enunciating certain constitutional liberties, e.g. taxes could be levied only by the people met in general assembly; right of suffrage; and no martial law or quartering of the soldiers without the consent of the inhabitants.
The Assembly grew to twenty-seven members, elected by voice vote by the people once every seven years and the districts they represented. The representatives terms were originally at the will of the governor and new elections were ordered as it suited his interests. A law was passed that limited member's terms to three years, but it was annulled by King George III. The Septennial Act was passed in 1743, and remained in force till the revolution.
The General Assembly elected a speaker from their own ranks, chose their own clerk, and published their own journal. The Assembly had the sole right of originating all laws granting appropriations of money, and, during Governor William Cosby's administration, which was defined by political struggles and is known as one of the most oppressive royal placeholders, they withheld his compensation in an attempt to bring him closer to their desires. Reportedly, "these quarrels had considerably subsided before the revolution; but they doubtless had an influence beneficial to liberty, by introducing political discussions, and imparting a knowledge of the tendencies of irresponsible power."
The General Assembly continued until May 1775. Among its last acts was the adoption of petitions to the king and Parliament of Great Britain, in which, while they "professed a warm attachment to the royal person and government, they solemnly protested against the aggressions that had for years been gaining upon the rights of the people, and expressed, quite as strongly as was then avowed by the patriots of the day, the sentiments advocated in the revolution."

## General Assembly
### Districts

* Albany County: all of the region that is now northern and western New York.
* Cortlandt Manor
* Dutchess County: now Dutchess and Putnam counties.
* Kings County: the current Kings County; Brooklyn.
* Livingston Manor
* New York County: the current New York County; Manhattan.
* Orange County: now Orange and Rockland counties.
* Queens County: now Queens and Nassau counties.
* Rensselaer Manor
* Richmond County: the current Richmond County; Staten Island.
* Town of Schenectady
* Suffolk County: the current Suffolk County.
* Ulster County: now Ulster and Sullivan counties and part of what is now Delaware and Greene counties.
* Westchester County: now Westchester and Bronx counties.

### Representatives

The following were elected as members of the General Assembly.
| District | Representatives | Years | Notes |
| Albany | Jacob Coenraedt Ten Eyck | 1747/8-50 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1748 to 1750. |
| Albany | Dirck Ten Broeck | 1728 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1746 to 1748. |
| Albany | Dirck Wessels | 1691–98, 1701 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1696 to 1698. |
| Albany | Evert Bancker | 1702-5 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1695 to 1696 and 1707 to 1709. |
| Albany | Hans Hansen | 1750-52 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1731 to 1732 and 1754 to 1756. |
| Albany | Hendrick Hansen | 1699–1702, 1708–9, 1715–24 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1698 to 1699. |
| Albany | Jacob H. Ten Eyck | 1759-77 | Albany merchant who served as assistant alderman in the second ward from 1739 to 1743 and 1746 to 1748. |
| Albany | Jan Jansen Bleecker | 1698-1701 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1700 to 1701. |
| Albany | Johannes Cuyler | 1705–13, 1715–26, 1727–28 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1725 to 1726. |
| Albany | Johannes Schuyler | 1710-13 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1703 to 1706. |
| Albany | John Abeel | 1695–98, 1701-5 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1694 to 1695 and 1709 to 1710. |
| Albany | Johannes Bleecker Jr. | 1701-6 | Also served as recorder and mayor of Albany from 1701 to 1702. Son of Jan Jansen Bleecker. |
| Albany | Karl Hansen | 1715-26 | |
| Albany | Levinus Van Schaick | 1691-93 | A merchant who returned to Amsterdam and traded with Robert Livingston. |
| Albany | Myndert Schuyler | 1701–10, 1713–15, 1724–37 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1719 to 1720 and 1723 to 1725. |
| Albany | Peter Douw | 1747/8-50, 1752–59 | |
| Albany | Peter Van Brugh | 1713–15, 1727–28 | Also served as mayor of Albany from 1699 to 1700 and 1721 to 1723. |
| Albany | Peter Van Bruggen | 1705-8 | |
| Albany | Peter Winne | 1737–47, 1752–61 | Winne ran a skipper along the Hudson River and was a partner in the Sacandaga Patent of 1741. |
| Albany | Philip Schuyler | 1728–47, 1750–52 | |
| Albany | Philip Schuyler | 1768-77 | A Revolutionary War general and, later, a U.S. senator and father-in-law of Alexander Hamilton. |
| Albany | Robert Livingston the Elder | 1709-15 | The 1st Lord of Livingston Manor. |
| Albany | Ryer Garretson | 1726-27 | |
| Albany | Ryer Jacobse Schermerhorn | 1683-1702 | The sole trustee of the Schenectady Patent. |
| Albany | Volkert P. Douw | 1761-8? | Later served in the New York State Senate from 1785 to 1793. Son of Peter Douw. |
| Cortlandt Manor | Philip Verplanck | 1737-64 | Verplanck married into the Van Cortlandt family. |
| Cortlandt Manor | Pierre Van Cortlandt | 1768-77 | Also served as lieutenant governor of New York from 1777 to 1795. |
| Dutchess | Baltus Van Kleeck | 1715-16 | |
| Dutchess | Dirck Brinckerhoff | 1768-77 | Later served in the 2nd New York State Legislature. |
| Dutchess | Henry Beekman | 1725-59 | A grandson of acting New York City mayor Wilhelmus Beekman. |
| Dutchess | Henry Filkin | 1752-58 | |
| Dutchess | Henry Gilbert Livingston | 1754-68 | Father of Henry Livingston Jr., Gilbert Livingston, and John Henry Livingston. |
| Dutchess | Jacobus Tur Boss | 1737-43 | |
| Dutchess | Johannes Tappen | 1743-51 | |
| Dutchess | Johannes Turbosch | 1716-25 | |
| Dutchess | Johannes Van Kleeck | 1726-37 | |
| Dutchess | Leonard Van Kleeck | 1768-77 | |
| Dutchess | Leonard Lewis | 1713-16 | |
| Dutchess | Robert R. Livingston | 1759-68 | Known as "The Judge", only child of Robert Livingston of Clermont |
| Kings | Abraham Lott | 1737-60 | |
| Kings | Abraham Schenck | 1759-68 | |
| Kings | Coert Stuyvesant | 1693-94 | Likely a descendant of the last Dutch director of New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant. |
| Kings | Cornelius Lott | 1750-52 | |
| Kings | Cornelius Sebring | 1695–98, 1698-1726 | |
| Kings | Cornelius Van Brunt | 1698-1716 | |
| Kings | D. Vander Vier | 1750-59 | |
| Kings | Gerardus Beekman | 1698 | Also served as acting governor of the Province of New York in 1710. |
| Kings | Henry Filkin | 1693/4-95 | One of the Great Nine Partners Patent. |
| Kings | Johannes Lott | 1727–47, 1750–61 | |
| Kings | Johannes Van Ecklen | 1693-98 | |
| Kings | John Poland | 1691-93 | |
| Kings | John Rapalje | 1768-77 | |
| Kings | Joseph Hagenan | 1716 | |
| Kings | Myndert Coerton | 1698 | |
| Kings | Nicholas Stillwell | 1691-93 | |
| Kings | Richard Stillwell | 1725-27 | |
| Kings | Samuel Garretson | 1716-37 | |
| Kings | Simon Boerum | 1761-77 | He represented New York in the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775. |
| Livingston Manor |
| Livingston Manor | Robert Livingston the Elder | 1716-26 | The 1st Lord of Livingston Manor (he previously represented Albany from 1709 to 1715). |
| Livingston Manor | Robert Livingston | 1726-28 | Also known as "Robert of Clermont", second son of Robert Livingston the Elder and father of Robert Livingston. |
| Livingston Manor | Gilbert Livingston | 1728-37 | Fourth son of Robert Livingston the Elder who married Cornelia Beekman, granddaughter of Wilhelmus Beekman. |
| Livingston Manor | Robert Livingston | 1737-59 | The 3rd Lord of Livingston Manor; grandson of Robert Livingston the Elder and son of Philip Livingston. |
| Livingston Manor | William Livingston | 1759-61 | Later served as the 1st governor of New Jersey. |
| Livingston Manor | Peter R. Livingston | 1761-69 | Son of Robert Livingston, 3rd Lord of Livingston Manor. |
| Livingston Manor | Philip Livingston | 1769-77 | A merchant who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence. |
| New York |
| New York | Johannes Hardenbroek | 1709-10 | A merchant. |
| New York | Abraham Gouverneur | 1701-2 | Speaker of the Assembly from 1699 to 1702. |
| New York | Adolph Philipse | 1726-45 | The second son of Frederick Philipse, the 1st Lord of the Philipsburg Manor. |
| New York | Anthony Rutgers | 1726-37 | Related to Henry Rutgers. |
| New York | Brandt Schuyler | 1695-98 | Brother of Pieter Schuyler and Arent Schuyler |
| New York | Capt. Wilson | 1709-10 | |
| New York | Cornelius Van Horne | 1743-59 | |
| New York | David Clarkson | 1739, 1745–52 | |
| New York | David Provost | 1699–1702, 1711–13, 1716–25 | Also served as 24th mayor of New York City from 1699 to 1700. |
| New York | Garret Van Horne | 1716-37 | |
| New York | Henry Cruger | 1745-59 | Eldest son of 38th mayor of New York City John Cruger and brother of Speaker John Cruger Jr. |
| New York | Isaac De Rimier | 1668-77 | |
| New York | Jacobus Van Cortlandt | 1691–93, 1698–99, 1702–16 | Also served as 30th and 33rd mayor of New York City from 1710 to 1711 and 1719–1720. |
| New York | Jacob Walton | 1768-77 | |
| New York | Jacobus Kipp | 1716-26 | |
| New York | James Alexander | 1737-39 | Also served as 4th New Jersey attorney general from 1723 to 1728. Father of William Alexander, Lord Stirling. |
| New York | James De Lancey | 1768-77 | Son of James De Lancey, governor of the Province of New York from 1753 to 1755. |
| New York | James Graham | 1691–93, 1695-1701 | |
| New York | James Jauncey | 1768-77 | |
| New York | Johannes Jansen | 1709–11, 1716–26 | Also served as 35th mayor of New York City from 1725 to 1726. |
| New York | Johannes Kipp | 1691–93, 1698–99 | |
| New York | John Cruger | 1759-73 | Also served as 41st mayor of New York City from 1757 to 1766. Son of 38th mayor of New York City John Cruger. |
| New York | Johannes de Peyster | 1699-1702 | Also served as 23rd mayor of New York City from 1698 to 1699. |
| New York | John Kerfbyl | 1699 | |
| New York | John Moore | 1789-45 | |
| New York | John Reade | 1715-16 | |
| New York | John Spratt | 1693/4-95 | Glasgow, Scotland born merchant who was the father of Mary Alexander and son-in-law of Johannes de Peyster Sr. |
| New York | John Van Home | 1709-10 | |
| New York | John Walter | 1737-39 | |
| New York | John Watts | 1752-59 | A Scottish immigrant. Father of U.S. Representative John Watts and son-in-law of Stephen Delancey. |
| New York | Lawrence Reade | 1695–98, 1708–9, 1711–15 | |
| New York | Leonard Lewis | 1699-1701 | |
| New York | Leonard Lispenard | 1759-68 | |
| New York | Oliver De Lancey | 1756-61 | Merchant and Loyalist. |
| New York | Paul Richards | 1743-56 | |
| New York | Peter De Lanoy | 1693/4-95 | Also served as 18th mayor of New York City from 1689 to 1691. |
| New York | Philip French | 1698–99, 1702-8 | Also served as the 27th mayor of New York City from 1702 to 1703. |
| New York | Philip Livingston | 1759-69 | |
| New York | Robert Blackwell | 1693/4-95 | |
| New York | Samuel Bayard | 1713-16 | Also served as a judge. |
| New York | Samuel Staats | 1693/4-95 | Son of Abraham Staats. |
| New York | Simon Johnson | 1737-39 | |
| New York | Stephen De Lanoy | 1702–16, 1725–27 | |
| New York | Thomas Coddrington | 1702-9 | |
| New York | Thomas Wenham | 1698-99 | |
| New York | Tunis De Key | 1695-98 | |
| New York | William Bayard | 1761-68 | Father of William Bayard Jr. |
| New York | William Merrett | 1691-98 | |
| New York | William Roome | 1739-43 | |
| Orange | Abraham Gouverneur | 1699-1702 | Speaker of the Assembly from 1699 to 1702. |
| Orange | Abraham Haring | 1745-47 | Father of lawyer and Continental Congressman John Haring. |
| Orange | Cornelius Cuyler | 1716-26 | |
| Orange | Cornelius Haring | 1715–16, 1726–37 | |
| Orange | Floris Crum | 1702-8 | |
| Orange | Gabriel Ludlow | 1739-45 | |
| Orange | Hendrick Ten Eyck | 1710-15 | One of the Great Nine Partners Patent. |
| Orange | Henry Wisner | 1759-69 | |
| Orange | John De Noyellis | 1769-77 | |
| Orange | Lancaster Symes | 1726-37 | |
| Orange | Michael Hawdin | 1708-9 | |
| Orange | Peter Haring | 1701–2, 1709–10, 1716–26 | |
| Orange | Samuel Gale | 1750–59, 1769–77 | |
| Orange | Selah Strong | 1768-69 | |
| Orange | Theodorus Snediker | 1747/8-59 | |
| Orange | Thomas Gale | 1739-50 | |
| Orange | Vincent Matthews | 1787-89 | |
| Orange | Cornelius Cuyper | 1787-89 | |
| Queens | Benjamin Hicks | 1725-37 | Relation of Federalist Assemblyman Benjamin Hicks. |
| Queens | Daniel Whitehead | 1691–1701, 1702-4 | |
| Queens | Daniel Кissam | 1768?-77 | |
| Queens | David Jones | 1737-59 | |
| Queens | David Thomas | 1761 | |
| Queens | Isaac Hicks | 1716-39 | |
| Queens | John Bound | 1691 | |
| Queens | John Jackson | 1693–1701, 1702–16 | |
| Queens | John Robinson | 1691 | |
| Queens | John Talman | 1701, 1709–10 | |
| Queens | John Townsend | 1709-10 | |
| Queens | John Treadwell | 1691 | |
| Queens | Jonathan Smith Sr. | 1701-2 | |
| Queens | Jonathan Whitehead | 1704-9 | |
| Queens | Nathaniel Pearsall | 1691 | |
| Queens | Thomas Cornell | 1739-59 | |
| Queens | Thomas Hicks | 1701-2 | |
| Queens | Thomas Hicks | 1759-61 | |
| Queens | Thomas Willet | 1701, 1710–25 | |
| Queens | Zebulon Seaman | 1759–61, 1763–77 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Abraham Ten Broeck | 1761-77 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Andries Coejemans | 1791 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Andries Coejemans | 1715-26 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Andries Douw | 1708-5 | Douw lived in Rensselaerswyck, where his family held extensive lands. |
| Rensselaer Manor | Hendrick van Rensselaer | 1705-15 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Jeremias van Rensselaer | 1726-43 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | J.B. Van Rensselaer | 1743-61 | |
| Rensselaer Manor | Kiliaen van Rensselaer | 1691–1701, 1702-3 | |
| Richmond | Abraham Lakerman | 1702-16 | |
| Richmond | Adam Mott | 1737-39 | |
| Richmond | Benjamin Seaman | 1759-77 | |
| Richmond | Christopher Billop | 1769-77 | Later a United Empire Loyalist who served in the 1st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. |
| Richmond | Elias Duksberry | 1691, 1695–98 | |
| Richmond | Garret Veghte | 1699-1702 | |
| Richmond | Henry Holland | 1761-69 | |
| Richmond | John Dally | 1691 | |
| Richmond | John La Count | 1726-59 | |
| Richmond | John Shadwell | 1691-3/4 | |
| Richmond | John Stillwell | 1702-16 | |
| Richmond | John Tennisen | 1698 | |
| Richmond | John Tennisen | 1763/4-95 | |
| Richmond | John Woglem | 1698-99 | |
| Richmond | Lambert Dorland | 1691 | |
| Richmond | Paul Micheaux | 1750-52 | |
| Richmond | Richard Merril | 1725-37 | |
| Richmond | Richard Stillwell | 1739-50 | |
| Richmond | Thomas Morgan | 1698-1702 | |
| Richmond | Thomas Stillwell | 1691-98 | |
| Richmond | William Walton | 1752-61 | A merchant who was one of the founders of the New York Society Library. |
| Suffolk | David Pierson | 1737-45 | |
| Suffolk | Eleazer Miller | 1750-69 | |
| Suffolk | Epenetus Platt | 1723-37 | |
| Suffolk | Henry Pierson | 1691-95 | Speaker of the Assembly from 1694 to 1695. |
| Suffolk | John Tuthill | 1693-3/4, 1695–98 | |
| Suffolk | Matthew Howell | 1691-1705 | |
| Suffolk | Nathaniel Woodhull | 1769-77 | Also a brigadier general of the New York Militia during the American Revolution. |
| Suffolk | Samuel Hutchinson | 1721-23 | |
| Suffolk | Samuel Mulford | 1705-20 | |
| Suffolk | William Nicoll | 1701-23 | A son of 6th New York City mayor Matthias Nicoll. |
| Suffolk | William Nicoll | 1739-77 | |
| Schenectady | Abraham Glen | 1743 | |
| Schenectady | Arent Bradt | 1737–48, 1745–47 | |
| Schenectady | Isaac Vrooman | 1759-61 | |
| Schenectady | Jacob Glen | 1726–37, 1747/8-50 | Namesake of Glen, New York. |
| Schenectady | Jacob Van Slyck | 1750-52 | |
| Schenectady | Jacobus Mynderse | 1752–59, 1768–79 | |
| Schenectady | Nicholas Groot | 1761 | |
| Schenectady | Nicholas Schuyler | 1727-28 | |
| Schenectady | Ryer Schermerhorn | 1761 | Grandson and principal heir of Ryer Jacobse Schermerhorn. |
| Ulster | Abraham G. Chambers | 1716-39 | |
| Ulster | Abraham Hasbrouck | 1698-1701 | One of twelve patent holders to the 40,000 acre New Paltz Patent. |
| Ulster | Abraham Hasbrouck | 1739–45, 1747/8-50, 1759–68 | Son of Abraham Hasbrouck. |
| Ulster | Adrien Garretson | 1701-2 | |
| Ulster | Albert Pawlding | 1726–37, 1745 | |
| Ulster | Charles DeWitt | 1668-77 | Also served as a delegate to the New York Provincial and Continental Congresses. |
| Ulster | Gaasbeck Chambers | 1745-48 | |
| Ulster | George Clinton | 1768-77 | He later served as the 1st governor of the State of New York and the 4th vice president of the United States. |
| Ulster | Hendrick Beekman | 1691–93, 1695–98, 1702–16 | Represented Westchester and Dutchess from 1691 to 1693. A son of acting New York City mayor Wilhelmus Beekman. |
| Ulster | Jacob Rutsen | 1693/4-95, 1699–1702, 1713–26 | Represented Ulster and Dutchess from 1693/4-95. |
| Ulster | Jacobus Bruyn | 1759-68 | Father of New York Assemblymen Jacobus S. Bruyn, Severyn Tenhout Bruyn, Johannes Bruyn, and Cornelius Bruyn. |
| Ulster | Johannes Hardenbergh | 1737-43 | Owner of the Hardenbergh patent of land in the Catskill Mountains. |
| Ulster | Johannes Jansen | 1747/8-59 | |
| Ulster | Moses De Pue Jr. | 1752-59 | |
| Ulster | Thomas Garton | 1691, 1693/4-95, 1698–99, 1702-18 | Represented Westchester and Dutchess in 1691 and 1693/4-95. |
| William Demire | 1691–93, 1695–98 | |
| Westchester | Adolph Philipse | 1722-26 | The second son of Frederick Philipse, the 1st Lord of the Philipsburg Manor, uncle to Frederick Philipse II. |
| Westchester | Caleb Heathcote | 1701-2 | Also served as 31st mayor of New York City from 1711 to 1713. |
| Westchester | Daniel Purdy | 1739-43 | |
| Westchester | Edmund Ward | 1710-12 | |
| Westchester | Frederick Philipse II | 1726-50 | The 2nd Lord of Philipsburg Manor, part of the Philipse Patent (today's Putnam County). |
| Westchester | Frederick Philipse III | 1751-77 | The 3rd (and last) Lord of Philipsburg Manor. |
| Westchester | Gilbert Willet | 1728-32 | |
| Westchester | Henry Fowler | 1701 | |
| Westchester | Humphrey Underhill | 1693/4-97 | |
| Westchester | John De Lancey | 1764?-77 | |
| Westchester | John Drake | 1698–1701, 1709–10, 1713–15 | |
| Westchester | John Haite | 1712-13 | |
| Westchester | John Hunt | 1699-1701 | |
| Westchester | John Pell | 1691-95 | The 2nd Lord of Pelham Manor. |
| Westchester | John Thomas | 1743-77 | |
| Westchester | Jonathan Odall | 1715-16 | |
| Westchester | Joseph Budd | 1716-22 | |
| Westchester | Joseph Purdy | 1695–99, 1701–2, 1709–10 | |
| Westchester | Joseph Theall | 1691–95, 1697 | |
| Westchester | Josiah Hunt | 1702–10, 1715–16 | |
| Westchester | Lewis Morris | 1710-28 | Uncle to Lewis Morris. |
| Westchester | Lewis Morris | 1733-38 | Governor of New Jersey |
| Westchester | Lewis Morris Jr. | 1732-50 | Also served as speaker of the Assembly |
| Westchester | Lewis Morris | 1769 | Also served as a delegate to the New York Provincial and Continental Congresses. |
| Westchester | Peter De Lancey | 1750-68 | Son of Stephen Delancey. |
| Westchester | William Willet | 1701, 1702–9, 1710–15, 1716-33 | |