Representative Rollin Brewster Sanford

Rollin Brewster Sanford (May 18, 1874 – May 16, 1957) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York who served three terms in Congress from 1915 to 1921. He was born in Nicholville, New York, to Henry T. Sanford (1840–1897) and Louisa Ann Brewster (c. 1841–1922). A great-grandson of Jonah Sanford, he spent much of his youth in Albany, New York, where he was raised and educated. He graduated from Albany High School in 1893, marking the beginning of a long association with the Albany area that would define his professional and political life.

Sanford pursued higher education at Tufts College, from which he graduated in 1897. He then returned to New York to study law, enrolling at Albany Law School. He received his law degree in 1899, was admitted to the bar shortly thereafter, and commenced the practice of law in Albany. His legal training and early practice provided the foundation for his later work as a prosecutor, legislator, and public servant at both the local and national levels.

In addition to his legal career, Sanford served in the New York National Guard from 1901 to 1906, reflecting an early commitment to public service and civic responsibility. During the early 1900s he entered local politics as a member of the Albany Board of Aldermen, where he gained experience in municipal governance and developed a reputation in local Republican circles. In 1908 he was elected district attorney of Albany County, a position he held until 1914. As district attorney he was responsible for prosecuting criminal cases and overseeing the administration of justice in the county, further enhancing his public profile and legal credentials.

Sanford was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth, Sixty-fifth, and Sixty-sixth Congresses, serving as a Representative from New York from March 4, 1915, to March 3, 1921. His tenure in the House of Representatives coincided with a significant period in American history that included World War I and major domestic and international developments. As a member of the House, Rollin Brewster Sanford participated in the legislative process, contributed to debates, and represented the interests of his New York constituents in the federal government. He completed three consecutive terms in office, then declined to be a candidate for reelection in 1920.

After leaving Congress in 1921, Sanford returned to the practice of law in Albany. That same year he began service as a member of the New York State Board of Law Examiners, a position he held from 1921 to 1940. In this capacity he played a role in overseeing admission to the legal profession in New York, helping to regulate standards for new attorneys over nearly two decades. His post-congressional career thus continued his long engagement with the law and public service at the state level.

In retirement, Sanford resided in Loudonville, New York, maintaining his ties to the Albany region. He was part of a family with a tradition of public service; his son, William K. Sanford, served as Colonie Town Supervisor from 1950 to 1978. Rollin Brewster Sanford died in Loudonville on May 16, 1957, two days before his eighty-third birthday, after being struck by a motorist. He was interred in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, in Section 114, Lot 20, closing a life closely associated with the legal, political, and civic affairs of the Capital District and the state of New York.