The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-15

We have already announced the death, on the 9th
inst, of Orville Hungerford, Esq, of Watertown,
Jefferson county long distinguished in the annals OF
the state, inancer and politician, connected with
the Albany regency, once 80 potent body IN con-
trolling the affairs Of this great state. Mr. Hun
gerford, was about sixty years OF age, and was
a gentleman of fine personal appearance and affable
manners. We unacquainted with his early his
tory but impressions are that he went to Jefer
son county as a merchant and followed the mercantile
life for some years. In 1880, we find him acting as
cashier of the Jefferson County Bank then located
Adams, but which was removed to WATERFOWL, the
county seat, in 1882. The celebrated Perey Reyes,
who figured in the Legislative annals Of the State,
leading democrat, for long period Of time, and
was ofthe seventeen Senators who voted against
the electoral law in 1924, President of the bank
of which Mr.. Hunger ford cashier. The late
Isaac Bronson Of this city, the king of fnanciers in
his day, had large interest in the stock of the
bank, and it managed under his auspices,
according to his peculiar notions of banking-one of
which was to make the bills of the bank always at
par in New York. by redeeming here; another, never
to renew a note for customer, until the original
was paid up; and a third, to refuse to discount
paper having over ninety days to run. Under the
was eminently prosperous, and the stock among the
best bank stocks in the State. 1t was sought for
by the late MIR. Prime, and Mr.. Bronson finally sold
his stock in the bank at high iprice to Mr.
Prime, or to the late firm of Prime, Ward & King
Some of the original ideas Of Mr.. Bronson in bank
management were laid aside, We believe, even be-
fore his interest in the bank had ceased.
About 1884 Mr.. Hungerford was elected presi-
dent of the bank, in which he had long acted as
cashier. The bank coming under the safety fund
system, Mr.. Hungerford acted in unison with Mr..
Olcott, of Albany, cashier, and afterwards pres
dent Of the Mechanics and Farmers Bank, Of AL
bany-the institution which was at the head Of the
safety fund schemes which organized under
the auspices of Mr.. Ocott, as the confidential
fnancier of the Albany regency.
In 1872, Mr.. Hungerford was nominated by the
democrats and elected to represent Jefferson county
in the twenty-eighth Congress, and in 1874 he was
reelected, to the twenty-ninth Congress. In 1916
he defeated by very small majority against
him, in favor of Joseph Mullin, the whig candi-
date. In lSa7 Mr. Hungerford placed on the
democratic ticket for State officers, candidate
for Comptroller, but the democratic party being
divided, and Mr.. III. belonging to the bunker Sec
ton of the democracy, large numbers Of the barn
burners withheld their votes from him and bis col
leagues on the State ticket Consequently, he
shared the fate of the other democratic
minees-in IN overwhelming defeat Of the ticket.
After that period, Mr. Hungerford retired from
political life, but devoted himself to matters of
public interest, particularly the promotion of in
ternal improvements. lie was president of the
WATERFOWL and Il ONE Railroad Company. A few
years since he established Hungerfords Bank, at
Adams, Jefferson county. Ills public reputation,
doubtless, rests mainly on his talents dnaneier.