Victory Birdseye

Victory Birdseye (December 25, 1782 – September 16, 1853) was an American politician and a U. S. Representative from New York.

Victory Birdseye
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Nehemiah H. Earll
Succeeded by	Orville Robinson
Constituency	23rd district
In office March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817
Preceded by	James Geddes
Succeeded by	James Porter
Constituency	19th district
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Onondaga County district
In office January 1, 1840 – December 31, 1840
Preceded by	James R. Lawrence
Succeeded by	Moses D. Burnet
In office January 1, 1838 – December 31, 1838
Preceded by	Daniel Denison
Succeeded by	James R. Lawrence
In office January 1, 1823 – December 31, 1823
Preceded by	Silvester Gardner
Succeeded by	Samuel L. Edwards
Member of the New York Senate from the 7th district
In office January 1, 1827 – December 31, 1827
Preceded by	Jedediah Morgan
Succeeded by	George B. Throop
Personal details
Born	December 25, 1782 Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut
Died	September 16, 1853 (aged 70) Pompey, Onondaga County, New York
Citizenship	United States
Political party	Democratic-Republican Whig
Spouse(s)	Electa Beebee Birdseye
Children	Ellen Douglas Birdseye Wheaton
Alma mater	Williams College
Profession	lawyer politician

Biography

Birdseye was born in Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut attended the public schools at Cornwall, Connecticut. He graduated from Williams College in 1804. Then he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1807, and commenced practice in partnership with Daniel Wood, Esquire, in Pompey Hill, New York until 1814. In 1813, he married Electa Beebee of Pompey. His great-grandson Clarence Birdseye developed the process for freezing food and founded Birds Eye Frozen Foods.

Career

Elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 14th United States Congress, Birdseye held the office of United States Representative for the nineteenth district of New York from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1817.

Birdseye was Postmaster of Pompey Hill from 1817 to 1838, D.A. of Onondaga County from 1818 to 1833, and a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Onondaga Co.) in 1823, and of the New York State Senate (7th D.) in 1827.

Birdseye served as the special counsel to conduct prosecution in the trial of parties for the alleged abduction of William Morgan, a man who threatened exposure of the Freemason's secrets and whose disappearance brought about powerful anti-masonic sentiments in the U.S., sparking the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party.[1]

Birdseye was again a member of the State Assembly in 1838 and 1840. While serving the latter term, Birdseye drafted and ushered through a bill that provided for the rescue of New York State citizens who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. [2] Under the provisions of that law, Solomon Northup, who had been enslaved in Louisiana, was restored to freedom in 1853.

Elected as a Whig to the 27th United States Congress, Birdseye held the office of U. S. Representative for the twenty-third district of New York from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843. Afterwards he resumed the practice of law.

Death

He died on September 16, 1853, in Pompey, Onondaga County, New York; and was buried at the Pompey Hill Cemetery there.

References

1. "Victory Birdseye". The Strangest Names In American Political History. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
2. David Fiske. "The Law That Saved Solomon Northup, and Others". New York History Blog. Retrieved 19 April 2015.

External links

• United States Congress. "Victory Birdseye (id: B000484)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Victory Birdseye at Find a Grave