Representative George Van Horn

George Van Horn (February 5, 1850 – May 3, 1904) was an American lawyer, local official, banker, and Democratic politician who served one term as a United States Representative from New York from 1891 to 1893. Over the course of his career he was active in public affairs in Otsego County and later held a prominent position in the banking community of Cooperstown, New York.

Van Horn was born on February 5, 1850, in Otsego, New York, in Otsego County. He was educated in the local common schools and continued his studies at Cooperstown Seminary and the New Berlin Academy, institutions that prepared many young men of the region for professional and civic careers. After completing his academic studies, he chose to pursue the law, reading law in the traditional manner of the period rather than attending a formal law school.

In February 1871 Van Horn was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Cooperstown, New York. His legal practice brought him into close contact with the affairs of Otsego County and provided a foundation for his subsequent public service. As a young attorney he became increasingly involved in local Democratic politics, building a reputation that led to his election to county office.

Van Horn entered elective public service when he was chosen clerk of Otsego County in 1881. He was reelected to this position in 1884, reflecting the confidence of local voters in his administrative abilities. He was subsequently elected supervisor of Otsego and was twice reelected to that office, further entrenching his role in county governance. During these years he also served as a member of the Democratic county committee, participating in party organization and strategy at the local level and helping to shape Democratic politics in his region.

Rising from local to national office, Van Horn was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second Congress, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1891, to March 3, 1893. Representing a New York district during a significant period in American history marked by debates over tariffs, monetary policy, and economic reform, he contributed to the legislative process as a member of the House of Representatives and represented the interests of his constituents in Otsego County and the surrounding area. His term coincided with the administration of President Benjamin Harrison and the transition to the second administration of President Grover Cleveland, a fellow Democrat. Van Horn sought to continue his service in Congress but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress.

After leaving Congress, Van Horn returned to private pursuits and became active in the financial sector in Cooperstown. He engaged in banking and rose to become vice president of the Second National Bank of Cooperstown, New York. In this capacity he played a significant role in the economic life of the community, overseeing banking operations and contributing to local commercial development while maintaining his standing as a respected former public official.

George Van Horn remained in Cooperstown for the rest of his life. He died there on May 3, 1904, while still serving as vice president of the Second National Bank. He was interred in Lakewood Cemetery, leaving a record of service that spanned the legal profession, county administration, national legislative office, and local banking leadership.