35 Facts About Erastus Corning

Erastus Corning was an American businessman and politician from Albany, New York.

Erastus Corning worked as a clerk in his uncle's hardware store for six years, then moved to Albany, New York, to work for the retail business owned by James Spencer.

The Erastus Corning company sold ironware, including tools and farm implements, nails, stoves, parts for railroad cars, and rails for railroads.

John V L Pruyn married Corning's niece Harriet, and Pruyn and Corning became partners in a variety of business ventures and investments.

Erastus Corning was involved in politics as a Democrat, and served as Albany's mayor from 1834 to 1837.

Erastus Corning was a member of the state senate from 1842 to 1845.

Erastus Corning was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention and to the Peace Conference of 1861, which attempted to prevent the American Civil War.

Erastus Corning left the presidency of the New York Central in 1865, and focused much of his attention on speculating in and developing land he had purchased in the western states.

Erastus Corning served as a delegate to the 1867 state constitutional convention.

Erastus Corning died in Albany on April 8,1872, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery.

At age two, Erastus Corning fell from his crib and injured a hip, which required him to walk with crutches.

Erastus Corning was unable to walk unaided for more than a few steps, but this physical limitation was generally not referred to in the press.

Erastus Corning attended academies in Norwich and Chatham, New York, and moved to Troy, New York, at the age of thirteen to clerk in the hardware store of his uncle, Benjamin Smith.

Erastus Corning had a wharf and warehouse on the Hudson River in Albany, and the store served not only Albany and the surrounding towns, but hundreds of large customers from the west who visited Albany only two or three times a year to buy and sell products, restock their own supplies, and see what new items were for sale.

Erastus Corning purchased the Albany Rolling and Slitting Mill, renamed it the Albany Nail Factory, and used it to corner the market on numerous iron products he sold at his store.

The Albany Nail Factory eventually became the Rensselaer Iron Works, which under Erastus Corning's guidance installed the first Bessemer converter in the United States.

Erastus Corning had been appointed to the board of regents for the University of the State of New York, begun speculating on land in western New York, including what are now the town of Corning and city of Corning.

Erastus Corning was a shareholder in and president of the smaller Mohawk and Hudson Railroad.

Erastus Corning remained active in politics, and was a member of the New York State Senate from 1842 to 1845, sitting in the 65th, 66th, 67th and 68th New York State Legislatures.

Erastus Corning was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1848 and again in 1852.

In 1853, Erastus Corning succeeded in persuading shareholders and executives of six functioning railroads and two that had been planned but were not yet constructed to agree to a plan for consolidating their companies.

Erastus Corning was the main lobbyist who pursued approval by the New York State Legislature.

Thanks to the efforts of Erastus Corning and Weed, the legislature passed the Consolidation Act on April 2,1853.

Erastus Corning remained in the post for twelve years, during which the New York Central's expansion and connections with other railways gave it access to cities from New York City to Chicago, which made it one of the country's most important railroads.

Erastus Corning amassed a significant fortune, and used it to invest in land as far west as Wisconsin and Iowa.

Erastus Corning bought large shares in the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Michigan Central Railroad, and was the largest shareholder in and president of the St Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company.

In 1856 Erastus Corning was elected to the 35th Congress, and he served one term, March 4,1857, to March 3,1859.

Erastus Corning was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1858, but was elected to a second term in 1860.

Erastus Corning served in the 37th Congress from March 4,1861, until resigning on October 5,1863.

Erastus Corning was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention.

Erastus Corning resigned his seat in Congress before the end of his second term because of failing health and because of his disagreements with Lincoln's prosecution of the war.

In February 1863, Corning was the Democratic caucus nominee for US Senator from New York, but Republicans controlled the state legislature, and Corning was defeated by Republican Edwin D Morgan, 86 votes to 70, with one cast for John Adams Dix and one for Daniel S Dickinson.

Erastus Corning died at his home in Albany on April 8,1872.

Erastus Corning did not manage them successfully, but after his death his sons Edwin and Parker succeeded in restoring the family's wealth.

Edwin Erastus Corning served as lieutenant governor of New York from 1927 to 1928, and Parker Erastus Corning served in the United States House of Representatives from 1923 to 1937.