The 125th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to March 27, 1902, during the second year of Benjamin B. Odell Jr.'s governorship, in Albany.
Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, 50 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (seven districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
Elections The New York state election, 1901, was held on November 5. No statewide elective offices were up for election.
Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 1, 1902; and adjourned on March 27.
S. Frederick Nixon (R) was re-elected Speaker.
State Senate
Districts
Note: In 1897, New York County (the boroughs of Manhattan and Bronx), Kings County (the borough of Brooklyn), Richmond County (the borough of Staten Island) and the Western part of Queens County (the borough of Queens) were consolidated into the present-day City of New York. The Eastern part of Queens County (the non-consolidated part) was separated in 1899 as Nassau County. Parts of the 1st and 2nd Assembly districts of Westchester County were annexed by New York City in 1895, and became part of the Borough of the Bronx in 1898.
Members The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Merton E. Lewis changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
District Senator Party Notes1stWilliam M. McKinney* Republican2ndWilliam W. Cocks* Republican3rdThomas H. Cullen* Democrat4thArthur J. Audett* RepublicanChairman of Public Health5thJames H. McCabe* Democrat6thRudolph C. Fuller* RepublicanChairman of Revision7thPatrick H. McCarren* Democrat8thHenry Marshall* RepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills9thJoseph Wagner* Democrat10thJohn F. Ahearn* Democrat11thTimothy D. Sullivan* Democraton November 4, 1902, elected to the 58th U.S. Congress12thSamuel J. Foley* Democrat13thBernard F. Martin* Democrat14thThomas F. Grady* DemocratMinority Leader15thNathaniel A. Elsberg* RepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation16thPatrick F. Trainor* Democratdied on December 25, 190217thGeorge W. Plunkitt* Democrat18thVictor J. Dowling* Democrat19thSamuel S. Slater* RepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures20thThomas F. Donnelly* Democrat21stJoseph P. Hennessy* Democrat22ndIsaac N. Mills* Republican23rdLouis F. Goodsell* RepublicanChairman of Miscellaneous Corporations24thHenry S. Ambler* RepublicanChairman of Agriculture25thWilliam S. C. Wiley* Republican26thWilliam L. Thornton* RepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections27thHobart Krum* RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment28thEdgar T. Brackett* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary29thJames B. McEwan* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages30thWilliam D. Barnes Republicanelected to fill vacancy, in place of Michael Russell; Chairman of Indian Affairs31stSpencer G. Prime* Republican32ndGeorge R. Malby* RepublicanChairman of Insurance33rdJames D. Feeter* RepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties34thGarry A. Willard* Republican35thElon R. Brown* RepublicanChairman of Forest, Fish and Game Laws36thHorace White* RepublicanChairman of Codes37thNevada N. Stranahan* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities; seat vacated on April 3, upon taking office as Collector of the Port of New York38thGeorge E. Green* Republican39thBenjamin M. Wilcox* RepublicanChairman of Penal Institutions40thEdwin C. Stewart* Republican41stFranklin D. Sherwood* RepublicanChairman of Public Printing42ndJohn Raines* RepublicanChairman of Railroads43rdMerton E. Lewis* Republicanelected to fill vacancy, in place of Cornelius R. Parsons; Chairman of Public Education44thWilliam W. Armstrong* RepublicanChairman of Roads and Bridges45thTimothy E. Ellsworth* RepublicanPresident pro tempore; Chairman of Rules46thLester H. Humphrey* RepublicanChairman of Banks; died on March 17, 190247thHenry W. Hill* RepublicanChairman of Military Affairs48thSamuel J. Ramsperger* Democrat49thGeorge Allen Davis* RepublicanChairman of Canals50thFrank W. Higgins* RepublicanChairman of Finance; on November 4, 1902, elected Lieutenant Governor
Employees Clerk: James S. Whipple Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles R. Hotaling Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: William W. Adams Doorkeeper: John E. Gorss First Assistant Doorkeeper: R. C. Duell Stenographer: A. B. Sackett Assistant Clerk: Lafayette B. Gleason Journal Clerk: Ernest A. Fay Index Clerk: A. Miner Wellman Clerk of the Finance Committee: Girvease A. Matteson
State Assembly
Assemblymen
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany1stWilliam L. Coughtry* RepublicanChairman of Insurance2ndAbram S. Coon* Republican3rdRobert J. Higgins Ind. Dem.4thThomas G. Ross* Republican AlleganyJesse S. Phillips* Republican Broome1stJames T. Rogers* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary2ndFred E. Allen Republican Cattaraugus1stMyron E. Fisher* RepublicanChairman of Public Health2ndAlbert T. Fancher* RepublicanChairman of Indian Affairs Cayuga1stErnest G. Treat* Republican2ndCharles J. Hewitt Republican Chautauqua1stJ. Samuel Fowler* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages2ndS. Frederick Nixon* Republicanre-elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules ChemungCharles H. Knipp* RepublicanChairman of Excise ChenangoJotham P. Allds* RepublicanMajority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means ClintonJohn F. O'Brien* Republicanon November 4, 1902, elected Secretary of State ColumbiaElbert Payne Republican CortlandHenry A. Dickinson* Republican DelawareJames R. Cowan Republican Dutchess1stJohn T. Smith* RepublicanChairman of Banks2ndFrancis G. Landon* Republican Erie1stJohn H. Bradley* Democrat2ndEdward R. O'Malley* Republican3rdAnthony F. Burke Democrat4thWilliam Schneider* Republican5thCharles F. Brooks* Republican6thGeorge Ruehl* Republican7thJohn K. Patton* RepublicanChairman of Charitable and Religious Societies8thElijah Cook* RepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections EssexJames M. Graeff* RepublicanChairman of Agriculture FranklinHalbert D. Stevens* Republican Fulton and HamiltonClarence W. Smith Republican GeneseeS. Percy Hooker Republican GreeneWilliam W. Rider* Democrat HerkimerSamuel M. Allston* Republican Jefferson1stLewis W. Day Democrat2ndJames A. Outterson Republican Kings1stJohn Hill Morgan* RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment2ndJohn McKeown* Democrat3rdJames J. McInerney* Democrat4thCharles H. Cotton* RepublicanChairman of Military Affairs5thGeorge Langhorst Republican6thSimon Ash Republican7thPeter J. Lally Democrat8thJohn C. L. Daly* Democrat9thWilliam P. Fitzpatrick* Democrat10thJohn Rainey* Republican11thWaldo R. Blackwell* Republican12thHoward L. Woody Republican13thJames M. Manee Republican14thJohn B. Ferre Democrat15thHarry H. Dale Democrat16thGustavus C. Weber* Republican17thHarris Wilson* RepublicanChairman of Claims18thJacob D. Remsen* Republican19thJohn Wolf Democrat20thWilliam H. Pendry Republican21stJoseph H. Adams* RepublicanChairman of Federal Relations LewisLewis H. Stiles Republican LivingstonOtto Kelsey* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities MadisonAvery M. Hoadley Republican Monroe1stMartin Davis Republican2ndGeorge H. Smith Republican3rdRichard Gardiner* RepublicanChairman of Revision4thIsaac W. Salyerds* Republican MontgomeryJohn W. Candee Republican New York1stThomas F. Baldwin Democrat2ndJoseph P. Bourke Democrat3rdAnthony J. Barrett Democrat4thWilliam H. Burns* Democrat5thEdward R. Finch Republican6thHarry E. Oxford Democrat7thJames E. Duross* Democrat8thCharles S. Adler* RepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures9thJames A. Allen Republican10thJohn F. McCullough Democrat11thClarence McAdam Democrat12thLeon Sanders* Democrat13thRichard S. Reilley* Democrat14thHenry W. Doll Democrat15thJames E. Smith* Democrat16thSamuel Prince* Democrat17thJames J. Fitzgerald* Democrat18thGeorge P. Richter* Democrat19thJulius H. Seymour* Republican20thJohn H. Fitzpatrick Democrat21stWilliam S. Bennet* Republican22ndWilliam F. Meeks Democrat23rdJosiah T. Newcomb Republican24thLeo P. Ulmann* Democrat25thJohn A. Weekes Jr.* RepublicanChairman of Codes26thMyron Sulzberger Democrat27thGherardi Davis* RepublicanChairman of Public Lands and Forestry28thJohn T. Dooling* Democrat29thBainbridge Colby Republican30thGotthardt A. Litthauer Democrat31stArthur L. Sherer* Republican32ndMatthew F. Neville Democrat33rdJohn J. Egan* Democrat34thJohn J. Scanlon* Democrat35thFranklin Grady Ind. Dem. Niagara1stJohn T. Darrison* RepublicanChairman of Public Printing2ndJohn H. Leggett* Republican Oneida1stMichael J. McQuade* Republican2ndFred J. Brill* Republican3rdEdward M. Marson* RepublicanChairman of Fisheries and Game Onondaga1stJames F. Williams Republican2ndFrederick D. Traub* Republican3rdMartin L. Cadin* Republican4thFred W. Hammond* Republican OntarioJean L. Burnett* RepublicanChairman of General Laws Orange1stJohn Orr* Republican2ndLouis Bedell* RepublicanChairman of Railroads OrleansWilliam W. Phipps* Republican Oswego1stThomas D. Lewis* RepublicanChairman of Canals2ndThomas M. Costello* RepublicanChairman of Labor and Industries OtsegoJohn B. Conkling Republican PutnamJohn R. Yale Republican Queens1stLuke A. Keenan* Democrat2ndFrancis X. Duer Democrat Queens and NassauGeorge W. Doughty* RepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs Rensselaer1stJohn M. Chambers Republican2ndJohn F. Ahearn* RepublicanChairman of Public Institutions3rdCharles W. Reynolds* Republican RichmondFerdinand C. Townsend Republican RocklandGeorge Dickey* Democrat St. Lawrence1stCharles S. Plank* RepublicanChairman of State Prisons2ndEdwin A. Merritt Jr. Republican SaratogaWilliam K. Mansfield* Republican SchenectadyAndrew J. McMillan* RepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills SchoharieGeorge M. Palmer DemocratMinority Leader SchuylerOlin T. Nye* Republican SenecaDaniel W. Moran Republican Steuben1stFrank C. Platt* RepublicanChairman of Soldiers' Home2ndGordon M. Patchin Republican Suffolk1stWillis A. Reeve Republican2ndGeorge A. Robinson* Republican SullivanEdwin R. Dusinbery* RepublicanChairman of Unfinished Business TiogaEdwin S. Hanford* Republican TompkinsGeorge E. Monroe Republican Ulster1stRobert A. Snyder* RepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation2ndSands Haviland Republican WarrenJames L. Fuller Republican WashingtonWilliam H. Hughes Republican WayneFrederick W. Griffith* RepublicanChairman of Public Education Westchester1stJohn J. Sloane Democrat2ndJ. Mayhew Wainwright Republican3rdJames K. Apgar* RepublicanChairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply WyomingHenry J. McNair Republican YatesErnest R. Bordwell Democrat
Employees Clerk: Archie E. Baxter Sergeant-at-Arms: Frank J. Johnston Doorkeeper: Jacob Kemple First Assistant Doorkeeper: Andrew Kehn Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Charles C. Gray Stenographer: Henry C. Lammert Assistant Clerk: Ray B. Smith Chief of the Engrossing Department: Charles H. Betts
Notes
Sources The New York Red Book by Edgar L. Murlin (J. B. Lyon Co., Albany NY; 1902; see pg. 55–96 for senators' bios; between pg. 80 and 81 for senators' portraits; pg. 97–182 for assemblymen's bios; between pg. 112 and 113 for assemblymen's portraits; pg. 546 for senators; pg. 570ff for senate and assemblymen's committees; and pg. 575–578 for assemblymen)