Representative Abraham Maus Schermerhorn

Abraham Maus Schermerhorn (also recorded as Abraham Mans Schermerhorn) (December 11, 1791 – August 22, 1855) was an American lawyer, banker, municipal official, and Whig politician who served as the third mayor of Rochester, New York, and as a United States Representative from New York. He was born on December 11, 1791, in Schenectady, New York, into a family of early Dutch-settler descent in the Mohawk Valley region. Raised in a community with strong commercial and educational traditions, he completed preparatory studies in his youth, laying the groundwork for a professional career in law and public life.

Schermerhorn pursued higher education at Union College in Schenectady, one of the leading institutions in New York State at the time. He graduated from Union College in 1810, an achievement that placed him among the relatively small number of college-educated men in the early nineteenth century. Following his graduation, he studied law, a common path for aspiring public figures of his era. He was admitted to the bar in 1812, formally entering the legal profession. In 1813, he moved westward to Rochester, New York, then a developing settlement in the Genesee River region, where opportunities in commerce, law, and land development were rapidly expanding.

In Rochester, Schermerhorn combined his legal training with financial and civic pursuits. He became closely associated with the city’s early banking institutions and rose to prominence as the secretary of Rochester’s first bank. In this capacity he gained a reputation as the “money king” of the Genesee region, reflecting his influence in local finance and economic development during a period of rapid growth and canal-driven commerce. His standing in the community led to his election as a supervisor of the city in 1834, marking his formal entry into local public office and municipal administration.

Schermerhorn’s municipal career reached a new level in 1837, when he became the third mayor of Rochester. His tenure as mayor, however, was brief; after approximately two months in office, he resigned to accept a position as secretary to the New York State Senate. This move shifted his focus from local to state government and placed him at the center of legislative operations in Albany. A decade later, he returned to elective office as a member of the New York State Assembly, representing Monroe County’s 2nd District in 1848. His service in the Assembly further established him as a significant Whig figure in upstate New York politics during a time of intense debate over economic policy, internal improvements, and the expansion of slavery.

Building on his state-level experience, Schermerhorn was elected as a Whig to the United States House of Representatives. He represented New York’s 28th congressional district in the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses, serving two terms from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1853. As a member of the Whig Party representing New York, Abraham Maus Schermerhorn contributed to the legislative process during these two terms in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, encompassing the aftermath of the Mexican–American War, the Compromise of 1850, and mounting sectional tensions. Within this context, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents from the Genesee region, aligning with Whig principles that emphasized congressional authority, economic development, and internal improvements.

In his personal life, Schermerhorn married Mary Kent Adams (1798–1865). Together they had at least two children who are recorded in surviving genealogical sources. Their daughter, Susan M. Schermerhorn, died in 1846. Their son, James Adams Schermerhorn (1816–1879), married Sarah Maria Parker (1819–1874) in 1849, continuing the family’s social and civic presence in New York. Schermerhorn’s family connections, education, and professional achievements reflected the emergence of a regional elite in western New York during the first half of the nineteenth century.

Abraham Maus Schermerhorn died on August 22, 1855, at Savin Rock, near West Haven, Connecticut, a coastal resort area frequented by visitors from across the Northeast. Following his death, his remains were returned to Rochester, the city where he had built his career and reputation. He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York, a prominent burial ground for many of the city’s leading citizens, symbolizing his lasting association with the community he helped shape through his legal, financial, municipal, and congressional service.