Representative Joseph McCrum Belford

Joseph McCum Belford (August 5, 1852 – May 3, 1917) was an American politician, educator, lawyer, and a United States Representative from New York. A member of the Republican Party, he served one term in Congress, where he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents.

Belford was born in Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, on August 5, 1852. He attended the common schools of his native town and, demonstrating early academic promise, went on to higher education. Seeking broader opportunities, he left Pennsylvania as a young man and eventually established himself in New York, where he would spend the bulk of his professional and political life.

Belford pursued his education at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania (then known as Dickinson Seminary), from which he graduated in 1871. After completing his studies, he moved to Long Island, New York, and engaged in teaching. He taught school in Greenport, Suffolk County, and quickly became a respected figure in local educational circles. During this period he also studied law, reflecting an ambition to move from education into the legal and political arenas.

After his legal studies, Belford was admitted to the bar and commenced practice as an attorney in Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York. In addition to his legal work, he became active in Republican politics at the local level. He served as clerk of the surrogate’s court of Suffolk County, a position that provided him with experience in county administration and the judicial system. His growing prominence in the community and within the Republican Party laid the groundwork for his eventual election to national office.

Belford was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fifth Congress and served as a United States Representative from New York from March 4, 1897, to March 3, 1899. As a member of the Republican Party representing New York, he contributed to the legislative process during his single term in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history marked by economic and political change at the close of the nineteenth century, and he participated in the democratic process by advocating for and representing the interests of his Long Island constituents. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1898, choosing instead to return to his legal and local public service activities.

Following his congressional service, Belford resumed the practice of law in Riverhead. He continued to be involved in public affairs and legal administration in Suffolk County. Over time he became a well-known figure in the region’s civic life, combining his experience as an educator, lawyer, and former congressman to influence local governance and community development. His post-congressional years were marked by steady professional work rather than pursuit of higher political office.

Joseph McCum Belford died in New York City on May 3, 1917. He was interred in Riverhead Cemetery in Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York, reflecting the strong ties he had established to Long Island over the course of his adult life. His career encompassed education, law, and national legislative service, and as a Republican representative from New York he played a role in the governance of the United States during a transformative era.