Representative John Sigsbee Pindar

John Sigsbee Pindar (November 18, 1835 – June 30, 1907) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York in two non-consecutive periods, from 1885 to 1887 and again briefly from late 1890 to early 1891. Over the course of his public career, he was active in local, county, and national Democratic politics and contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history.

Pindar was born on November 18, 1835, in Sharon, New York. He was educated in the common schools of the area and later attended Richmondville Seminary, a local institution that prepared students for professional and civic life. After completing his formal schooling, he turned to the study of law, pursuing the legal training that would form the basis of his professional and political career.

Pindar was admitted to the bar in 1865 and commenced the practice of law in Cobleskill, New York. He quickly became a prominent figure in local affairs. From 1882 to 1884 he served as president of the village of Cobleskill, reflecting the confidence his community placed in his leadership. In addition to his municipal responsibilities, he was deeply involved in party organization, serving as chairman of the Democratic county committee for ten years, a role that positioned him as a key Democratic strategist and organizer in his region.

Building on his local prominence, Pindar was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth Congress, serving from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1887. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New York constituents during a period marked by debates over economic policy, civil service reform, and the evolving role of the federal government in post–Civil War America. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, and he contributed to the legislative work of the House as part of the Democratic Party’s delegation.

After the conclusion of his first term in Congress, Pindar remained active in national politics. He served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1888, taking part in the selection of the party’s presidential nominee and the formulation of its national platform. That same year he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Fifty-first Congress, and following this defeat he resumed the practice of law in Cobleskill while maintaining his engagement in public affairs.

Pindar returned to Congress under unusual circumstances. He was subsequently elected to the Fifty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative David Wilber, and he served from November 4, 1890, to March 3, 1891. This brief second term completed his two non-consecutive periods of service in the House of Representatives, during which he again represented New York as a Democrat and took part in the legislative deliberations of the closing months of the Fifty-first Congress.

Following the end of his congressional service in 1891, Pindar once more resumed the practice of law in Cobleskill, New York. He continued to be regarded as an experienced attorney and a veteran public servant in his community. John Sigsbee Pindar died in Cobleskill on June 30, 1907. He was interred in Cobleskill Cemetery, leaving a record of service that spanned local government, party leadership, and two terms in the United States House of Representatives.