US Senator. He attended Yale University, studied law, became an attorney in 1799 and practiced in New York City. In 1802 he was appointed a US Bankruptcy Commissioner he was US Attorney for the District of New York from 1803 to 1816. Sanford served in the New York Assembly from 1808 to 1809 and again in 1811, serving as Speaker in his final term. From 1812 to 1815 he served in the New York Senate. In 1815 he was elected to the US Senate as a Democratic-Republican and served one term, 1815 to 1821, also serving as Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures from 1817 to 1821, the Committee on Naval Affairs from 1817 to 1819, and the Committee on Finance from 1819 to 1821. In 1821 Sanford was a Delegate to the state constitutional convention, and introduced the amendment which abolished property ownership as a qualification for voting. He served as state Chancellor (a judicial office) from 1823 to 1826. In 1824 Sanford received 30 electoral votes for Vice President, second to John C. Calhoun's 182. In 1825 he was again elected to the US Senate, this time as an Adams candidate (later an Anti-Jacksonian), and served from 1826 to 1831. From 1826 to 1827 he was Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. After his second period of service in the Senate Sanford practiced law in Flushing until his death from tuberculosis. He was married three times and many of his descendants were prominent, including author Herman Melville and Civil War General Henry Sanford Gansevoort.

US Senator. He attended Yale University, studied law, became an attorney in 1799 and practiced in New York City. In 1802 he was appointed a US Bankruptcy Commissioner he was US Attorney for the District of New York from 1803 to 1816. Sanford served in the New York Assembly from 1808 to 1809 and again in 1811, serving as Speaker in his final term. From 1812 to 1815 he served in the New York Senate. In 1815 he was elected to the US Senate as a Democratic-Republican and served one term, 1815 to 1821, also serving as Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures from 1817 to 1821, the Committee on Naval Affairs from 1817 to 1819, and the Committee on Finance from 1819 to 1821. In 1821 Sanford was a Delegate to the state constitutional convention, and introduced the amendment which abolished property ownership as a qualification for voting. He served as state Chancellor (a judicial office) from 1823 to 1826. In 1824 Sanford received 30 electoral votes for Vice President, second to John C. Calhoun's 182. In 1825 he was again elected to the US Senate, this time as an Adams candidate (later an Anti-Jacksonian), and served from 1826 to 1831. From 1826 to 1827 he was Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. After his second period of service in the Senate Sanford practiced law in Flushing until his death from tuberculosis. He was married three times and many of his descendants were prominent, including author Herman Melville and Civil War General Henry Sanford Gansevoort.

Bio by: Bill McKern