Representative John Watts Cady

John Watts Cady (June 28, 1790 – January 5, 1854) was an American lawyer and politician from New York who served one term in the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Florida, Montgomery County, New York, on June 28, 1790, one of eight children of Ann (née Shuler) Cady and David Cady. His father served in the American Revolutionary War as a commissioner or paymaster for service and was present at the surrender of British General John Burgoyne, linking the family to the formative events of the new nation. Cady’s uncle, Judge Daniel Cady, was also a prominent figure in New York public life and served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, situating John Watts Cady within a wider family tradition of legal and political service.

Cady received his early education at the Old Stone Manse at Fort Hunter in Montgomery County. He went on to attend Union College in Schenectady, New York, from which he graduated in 1808, a relatively early achievement that reflected both his academic preparation and the opportunities available to members of established New York families in the early nineteenth century. After completing his collegiate studies, he read law in the customary manner of the period and was admitted to the bar, preparing for a professional career that would combine legal practice with public office.

Upon admission to the bar, Cady commenced the practice of law in Johnstown, then the county seat of Montgomery County, New York. His legal work in Johnstown formed the foundation of his public career and brought him into local government. He was elected Town Clerk of Johnstown in 1814, 1816, and 1817, positions that involved maintaining municipal records and overseeing various administrative functions. He also served as a supervisor of Montgomery County from 1818 to 1822 and again from 1826 to 1829, participating in county governance during a period of institutional development and population growth in upstate New York.

Cady’s state-level legislative service began when he became a member of the 45th New York State Legislature. He served in the New York State Assembly from July 1, 1821, to December 31, 1822, representing his locality in Albany during a time when New York was undergoing constitutional and political changes following the War of 1812. His work in the Assembly helped establish his reputation as a capable legislator and prepared him for national office.

In November 1822, Cady was elected as an Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican to the 18th United States Congress, representing New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a member of this faction, which supported the policies associated with John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, he aligned himself with the emerging national program of internal improvements and economic development that characterized the transition from the Democratic-Republican Party to the National Republican and later Whig movements. His term in Congress ran from March 4, 1823, to March 4, 1825. During this single term in office, he contributed to the legislative process in a significant period of American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his New York constituents in the national legislature.

After completing his service in Congress, Cady returned to Johnstown and resumed the practice of law. His career continued to evolve as the region’s political geography changed. In 1838, Fulton County was created from part of Montgomery County, and Johnstown became the seat of the new county. Within this new jurisdiction, Cady held important legal office as District Attorney of Fulton County from 1840 to 1846, overseeing criminal prosecutions and representing the people of the county in court. He also remained active in local judicial affairs and served as Justice of the Peace of Johnstown in 1853, reflecting his continued engagement in public service late in life.

Cady’s personal life was closely tied to other prominent New York families. On October 18, 1813, he married Maria Caroline Livingston (1794–1833), the daughter of Beeckman Livingston and Catherine (née Marsh) Livingston, thereby connecting him to the influential Livingston family. Maria was also the aunt of Jonas Platt Goodsell, who later served as New York State Engineer and Surveyor. John and Maria Cady were the parents of four children: Livingston Cady (1816–1846); David B. Cady (1820–1895); Anna Cady (born 1822), who married Frederick Avery Pomeroy; and John Watts Cady Jr. (1825–1859), who married Marianne Haines (d. 1892). These family connections further embedded Cady within the social and political networks of nineteenth-century New York.

John Watts Cady died on January 5, 1854, in Johnstown, Fulton County, New York, the community where he had spent most of his professional life and much of his public career. He was buried in Johnstown Cemetery. His life reflected the trajectory of an early nineteenth-century New York lawyer-politician who moved from local office to state legislature and then to the national Congress, and who continued to serve his region in legal and judicial roles after his term in the U.S. House of Representatives.