Representative Hosea Moffitt

Hosea Moffitt (November 17, 1757 – August 31, 1825) was a U.S. Representative from New York and a prominent lawyer, militia officer, and local official in Rensselaer County during the early years of the American republic. Born in Killingly in the Connecticut Colony on November 17, 1757, he came of age in the era of the American Revolution and soon moved to what became upstate New York, where he would spend most of his public and professional life.

During the Revolutionary War, Moffitt served in the Albany County Militia, initially as an ensign and later as a lieutenant in the 4th Regiment, also known as Van Rensselaer’s Regiment or the 2nd Rensselaerwyck Battalion. His continued involvement in the militia after the Revolution reflected both his military experience and his standing in the community. Over time he rose through the ranks, ultimately attaining command of a brigade and the rank of brigadier general, a position that underscored his leadership role in local defense and militia organization in the postwar period.

Following his military service, Moffitt studied law and was admitted to the bar. He established himself as an attorney in Stephentown, in what became Rensselaer County, New York. In addition to his legal practice, he served as the Stephentown agent for Stephen Van Rensselaer, managing local affairs related to the vast Manor of Rensselaerswyck, which included Stephentown. Moffitt was also active in business and banking, reflecting the broader economic development of the region in the early nineteenth century and his own role in local commercial life.

Moffitt’s civic career began at the town level, where he held a variety of offices. He served on the local school board, contributing to the administration of education in Stephentown. In 1791 he was appointed a justice of the peace, and in that same year, as well as again in 1797, he served as town clerk. His responsibilities expanded to the state level when he was elected a member of the New York State Assembly, serving from 1794 to 1798 and again from 1800 to 1801. These legislative terms placed him in Albany during a formative period in New York’s political and legal development, as the state adjusted its institutions in the decades following independence.

In addition to his legislative work, Moffitt continued to hold important local offices. He was elected town supervisor of Stephentown and served in that capacity from 1806 to 1809, overseeing town governance and finances. From 1810 to 1811 he served as sheriff of Rensselaer County, New York, a position that combined administrative, judicial, and law-enforcement responsibilities and further demonstrated the confidence placed in him by his community.

As a member of the Federalist Party representing New York, Moffitt contributed to the legislative process during two terms in the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Federalist to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congresses and served from March 4, 1813, to March 3, 1817. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history that included the War of 1812 and its aftermath. In this context he participated in the democratic process at the national level, representing the interests of his Rensselaer County constituents and supporting Federalist positions on issues of national finance, defense, and governance.

After leaving Congress, Moffitt remained an influential figure in Stephentown and Rensselaer County. He continued his legal and business activities and was active in religious and philanthropic affairs. He served as a trustee of the Stephentown Presbyterian Church, reflecting his involvement in the religious life of the community, and in 1815 he was appointed to the board of managers of the Rensselaer County Bible Society, an organization dedicated to the distribution of religious literature. Hosea Moffitt died in Stephentown on August 31, 1825, and was interred at the Old Presbyterian Cemetery on “Presbyterian Hill” in the Stephentown hamlet of Garfield, leaving a legacy of military, civic, and congressional service during the nation’s formative years.