Representative Frederick Augustus Tallmadge

Frederick Augustus Tallmadge (August 29, 1792 – September 17, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician from New York who served one term in the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Whig Party. He was born on August 29, 1792, in Litchfield, Connecticut, the son of Revolutionary War officer and later congressman Benjamin Tallmadge (1754–1835) and Mary Floyd (1764–1805). Through his mother he was the grandson of William Floyd (1734–1821), a signer of the Declaration of Independence from New York, thus belonging to a family with deep roots in the early political and military history of the United States.

Tallmadge received a classical education and graduated from Yale College in 1811. Following his graduation, he pursued legal studies at the Litchfield Law School, one of the leading law institutions of the early republic. After completing his legal training, he was admitted to the bar and, in 1813, commenced the practice of law in New York City. His move to New York placed him at the center of the nation’s growing commercial and political life, and he quickly established himself in professional and civic affairs.

During the War of 1812, Tallmadge served as a captain of the militia, contributing to the defense of the young nation during its second conflict with Great Britain. After the war, he continued to build his legal practice while gradually entering public life. By the 1830s, he had become active in New York City government, reflecting both his professional prominence and his family’s longstanding engagement in public service.

Tallmadge’s formal political career began at the municipal level. He served as a member of the New York City Board of Aldermen in 1834, participating in the governance of a rapidly expanding urban center. Under the new city charter, he became a member of the Common Council in 1836, where he helped oversee local legislation and administration. His work in city government led to higher office at the state level, and he was elected to the New York State Senate from the 1st District, serving from 1837 to 1840. In that capacity he sat in the 60th, 61st, 62nd, and 63rd New York State Legislatures, taking part in debates and legislation during a period of significant economic and political change in the state.

In addition to his legislative service, Tallmadge held important judicial and administrative posts in New York City. He served as Recorder of New York City, a key judicial and quasi-executive office, from 1841 to 1846 and again from 1848 to 1851. As Recorder, he presided over criminal courts and played a central role in the city’s legal system at a time of rapid population growth and increasing complexity in urban governance. These responsibilities complemented his ongoing legal practice and reinforced his reputation as an experienced public official.

Tallmadge’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. Elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth United States Congress, he represented New York from March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1849. During his single term in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process and participated in the democratic governance of the nation, representing the interests of his New York constituents at a time marked by the Mexican–American War and growing sectional tensions. His tenure in Congress formed part of his broader Whig affiliation, reflecting the party’s emphasis on legislative authority, economic development, and institutional reform.

After leaving Congress, Tallmadge continued to hold prominent public positions. He was appointed Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police from 1857 to 1862, overseeing law enforcement in the New York metropolitan area during a period that included the early years of the Civil War. In 1861, he ran for the office of Canal Commissioner on the “Independent People’s” ticket, though he was defeated by Democrat William W. Wright. He later returned to statewide office as Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals from 1863 to 1865, having been elected to that position in 1862 on the Democratic/Constitutional Union ticket. Following the completion of his term as clerk, he resumed the practice of law in New York City.

Tallmadge married Elizabeth “Eliza” H. Canfield (1793–1878). They were the parents of at least one son, Frederick Samuel Tallmadge (c. 1823–1904), who himself became a prominent figure in New York civic life. Frederick Samuel Tallmadge served as president of the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution from 1884 until his death in 1904, continuing the family’s tradition of public and patriotic service.

In his later years, Frederick Augustus Tallmadge maintained his legal and civic engagements while spending time with family. He died on September 17, 1869, at the home of his daughter in his native Litchfield, Connecticut. He was buried in East Cemetery in Litchfield, closing a life that bridged the Revolutionary generation of his parents and grandparents with the tumultuous mid-nineteenth century in which he served as lawyer, legislator, judge, and administrator.