Representative Jerediah Horsford

Jerediah Horsford (March 8, 1791 – January 14, 1875) was an American politician and agricultural innovator 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 March 8, 1791, in Charlotte, Chittenden County, Vermont, to Roger Horsford and Mary (Brown) Horsford. He attended the common schools in Charlotte and, like many of his contemporaries in rural New England, engaged in agricultural pursuits from an early age, gaining practical experience that would later shape his career and public reputation.

During the War of 1812, Horsford entered military service and took part in the defense of Burlington, Vermont, a key point of American resistance along Lake Champlain. After the war he moved west to Genesee County, New York, where he continued his militia involvement and served as an officer in a unit that participated in the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, one of the conflict’s major engagements near Niagara Falls. Remaining active in the New York Militia in the postwar years, he rose through the ranks to become a colonel and commander of the regiment based in Livingston County, New York, reflecting both his military experience and his standing in the local community.

In 1815, Horsford went to Moscow, New York, as a missionary to the Seneca Indians, an assignment that placed him at the intersection of frontier settlement, Native American relations, and religious outreach in western New York. Three years later, in 1818, he settled in nearby Mount Morris, New York, where he devoted himself primarily to farming. In Mount Morris he emerged as a pioneer in scientific farming methods at a time when American agriculture was beginning to adopt more systematic and experimental approaches. He became an active member of several agricultural societies and gained recognition as the inventor of an animal feed known as “Horsford’s Cattle Food,” which contributed to his regional reputation as an innovator in agricultural practice.

Horsford’s prominence in local affairs and his engagement with reform currents of the era led him into politics. In 1831 he served as an Anti-Masonic member of the New York State Assembly representing Livingston County, aligning himself with a movement that opposed the perceived influence of secret societies in public life. His legislative service in Albany marked his first significant elective office and introduced him to broader state political networks, even as he continued his agricultural and militia activities at home.

As a member of the Whig Party representing New York, Horsford later advanced to national office. He was elected as a Whig to the Thirty-second United States Congress and served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1853. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by sectional tensions and debates over slavery, territorial expansion, and economic development. Within this context, Horsford contributed to the legislative process, participating in the democratic governance of the nation and representing the interests of his constituents from New York.

After his term in Congress, Horsford returned to his agricultural pursuits and local affairs. In 1863 he moved to Livonia, New York, in Livingston County, where he spent the later years of his life. He remained a respected figure in the region, known both for his public service and for his contributions to improved farming methods. His family included several accomplished children, among them Eben Norton Horsford, who became a noted inventor and scientist, further extending the family’s influence in American intellectual and technical life.

Jerediah Horsford died in Livonia, New York, on January 14, 1875. His life spanned from the early years of the American republic through the post–Civil War era, encompassing military service in the War of 1812, pioneering work in scientific agriculture, and legislative service at both the state and national levels.