Senator Obadiah German

Obadiah German (April 22, 1766 – September 24, 1842) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician, most notable for his service as a United States Senator from New York from 1809 to 1815 and as Speaker of the New York State Assembly in 1819. He was born on April 22, 1766, in Amenia, New York, in what was then a largely rural part of Dutchess County. Little is recorded about his early family life, but he came of age in the post-Revolutionary period, when New York and the new nation were consolidating their political and legal institutions.

German studied law in New York, reflecting the common practice of reading law in a lawyer’s office rather than attending a formal law school. He was admitted to the bar in 1792 and commenced practice in Norwich, in Chenango County, New York, a community that would remain his principal home for the rest of his life. As he established himself professionally, he also engaged in local affairs and commerce, developing the connections that would lead to his entry into public life.

A member of the Democratic-Republican Party—often referred to at the time simply as the Republican Party—German began his political career in the New York State Assembly. He represented his constituency in the Assembly in several nonconsecutive terms, serving from 1798 to 1799, again from 1804 to 1805, and from 1807 to 1809. During these years he participated in the legislative process in Albany at a time when New York was rapidly growing in population and political influence. His work in the Assembly helped to establish his reputation as a capable legislator and set the stage for his elevation to national office.

In 1809, German was elected to the United States Senate from New York as a Democratic-Republican. He served a single term, from March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1815, and did not seek reelection. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, encompassing the presidency of James Madison and the lead-up to and conduct of the War of 1812. In the Senate, German was known as a critic of the federal government’s lack of military preparations in advance of the war, and he voted against the declaration of war in 1812. As a member of the Republican Party representing New York, he contributed to the legislative process during his term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents at a time of intense partisan division and international conflict.

German’s public career extended beyond the Senate into judicial and educational service. In 1812 he was one of the founding trustees of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, reflecting his interest in the advancement of higher education in the state. He served as First Judge of the Chenango County Court from 1814 to 1819, presiding over local judicial matters and reinforcing his standing as a leading figure in the region’s legal community. In addition, he held rank in the New York State militia and eventually became a major general, underscoring his involvement in the state’s military organization during and after the War of 1812.

An important supporter of DeWitt Clinton’s vision for internal improvements, German backed the Erie Canal project, which would transform New York’s economy and transportation system. In 1817 he was appointed to the state Public Works Commission, where he took part in planning and overseeing the construction of the canal. He returned to the New York State Assembly in 1819 as a member of the Clintonian faction of the Democratic-Republican Party and was chosen to serve as Speaker of the Assembly that year. After this period of legislative and administrative service, he resumed the practice of law in Norwich. As national party alignments shifted in the 1820s and 1830s, German became a Whig when that party was organized, aligning himself with the emerging opposition to Jacksonian Democracy.

German’s personal life was marked by two marriages and a large family. With his first wife, Mary Ann (Ann) Lewis, he had seven children. Their son Lewis German (d. 1819) served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and was a veteran of the War of 1812. Another son, Albert, was an innkeeper in Norwich before moving to Ohio. Walter German succeeded his father in the family’s mercantile business in Norwich, served as a militia captain during the War of 1812, and later became insolvent after his business failed in 1820. Daughters Julia and Maria also survived to adulthood: Julia married Stephen Anderson of Norwich and later resided in Wisconsin, while Maria (d. 1876) married the Reverend George Harmon and lived in Wisconsin and Ohio. Two other sons, Morris and Sutherland, are recorded among his children, though less is documented about their lives. Mary Ann Lewis German died in 1829.

After the death of his first wife, German married Mary Ann Knight. The couple had two sons, but the marriage was marked by separation in practice: Mary Ann moved to Syracuse with their sons when they were young, while Obadiah continued to reside in Norwich. Following German’s death, his widow, Mary Ann Knight, later claimed that she had been defrauded of his estate, valued at about $70,000 (approximately $1.7 million in 2014 dollars), by her brother—though some accounts attribute the alleged fraud to German’s brother. She took up residence in Syracuse and, after unsuccessful efforts to support herself through painting and “fancy work,” was found in a state of great destitution and became a public charge. Her claim to be German’s widow was not widely believed in Syracuse until it was confirmed after her death.

Obadiah German died on September 24, 1842, in Norwich, New York. He was buried at North Norwich Cemetery in North Norwich, New York. His legacy is reflected in the naming of the town of German, New York, in his honor, recognizing his prominence in state and local affairs. In the historical record of the United States Senate, German is one of approximately fifty former senators for whom the Senate’s photo historian has no likeness on file, and repeated attempts to locate an image of him have proved unsuccessful, leaving his public memory preserved primarily through written accounts of his legislative, judicial, and civic service.