Nicholas Van Dyke (senator)

Nicholas Van Dyke
United States Senator from Delaware
In office March 4, 1817 – May 21, 1826
Preceded by	William H. Wells
Succeeded by	Daniel Rodney
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's At-large district
In office October 6, 1807 – March 4, 1811
Preceded by	James M. Broom
Succeeded by	Henry M. Ridgely
3rd Attorney General of Delaware
In office 1801–1806
Preceded by	Nicholas Ridgely
Succeeded by	Outerbridge Horsey
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives
In office January 1, 1799 - January 7, 1800
Personal details
Born	(1770-12-20)December 20, 1770 New Castle, Delaware
Died	May 21, 1826(1826-05-21) (aged 55) New Castle, Delaware
Political party	Federalist Party
Spouse(s)	Mary Ann Leuvaneigh
Residence	New Castle, Delaware
Alma mater	College of New Jersey
Profession	lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian

Nicholas Van Dyke (December 20, 1770 – May 21, 1826) was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, Delaware. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Attorney General of Delaware, as U.S. Representative from Delaware, and as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life and family

Van Dyke was born in New Castle, Delaware, son of Nicholas and Charlotte Stanley Van Dyke. His father had been a member of the Continental Congress and a President of Delaware. The younger Nicholas graduated from the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University in 1788, studied law with his brother-in-law, Kensy Johns, and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in New Castle, in 1792. He married Mary Ann Leuvaneigh in 1792. They had six children, including Nicholas III, Kensey Johns, and Dorcas Montgomery and lived at many houses in and around New Castle. One of these was at the corner of Delaware and Fourth Streets and was the location of the 1824 wedding of Dorcas Van Dyke and Charles I. du Pont, which was attended by the Marquis de Lafayette. His farm and summer retreat, The Hermitage, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[1] The family were members of Immanuel Episcopal Church.

Political career

Van Dyke was a Federalist who was a member of the Delaware House of Representatives in 1799. From 1801 until 1806 he served as Delaware Attorney General. In 1807 he was elected to the 10th United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of U.S. Representative James M. Broom. He was reelected to the 11th Congress, and served in the U.S. House from October 6, 1807 until March 3, 1811. With the Federalists a powerless minority in Congress, he returned home to serve as the Attorney General of Delaware. Subsequently, he was elected to the Delaware State Senate for the 1816 and 1817 sessions. While serving there he was elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1817 until his death on May 21, 1826. He missed the first month and a half of the 18th Congress, as his first term in the Senate expired on March 3, 1823, and he was not re-elected by the Delaware Legislature until January 7, 1824. He did not take his seat in the Senate for the 18th Congress until January 14, 1824, while the Senate had convened on December 1, 1823. He was Chairman of the Committee on Pensions in the 16th U.S. Congress.

Death and legacy

Van Dyke died at New Castle, and is buried there in the Immanuel Episcopal Church Cemetery. He was compared to other lawyers by one who knew him as a "sound lawyer and superior to them all as a fluent, graceful and successful advocate and in the skillful management of his cases." ^[2]

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October and members of the General Assembly took office on the first Tuesday of January. The State Senate had a term of three years and the State House had a term of one year. U.S. Representatives took office March 4 and have a two-year term. The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators who also took office March 4, but for a six-year term.

Notes

1. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 
2. ↑ Rodney, Richard S. (1975). The Collected Essays of Richard S. Rodney on Early Delaware. Wilmington, DE: The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Delaware. 
3. ↑ elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James M. Broom, seated December 2, 1807
4. ↑ Special election August 6, 1807 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James M. Broom.

References

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware, 3 vols. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, DE: Roger A. Martin. 
• Martin, Roger A. (2003). Delawareans in Congress. Middletown, DE: Roger A. Martin. ISBN 0-924117-26-5. 
• Rodney, Richard S. (1975). The Collected Essays of Richard S. Rodney on Early Delaware. Wilmington, DE: The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Delaware. 
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co. 

Places with more information

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965

External links

• Biographical Dictionary of the United States
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

United States Senators from Delaware
Class 1	Read Latimer White Horsey C. Rodney Thomas Clayton McLane Naudain R. Bayard John M. Clayton Wales J. Bayard Jr Riddle J. Bayard Jr T. Bayard Sr Gray Ball H. du Pont Wolcott T. C. du Pont T. Bayard Jr Townsend Tunnell Williams Roth Carper
Class 2	Bassett Vining Joshua Clayton Wells J. Bayard Sr Wells Van Dyke D. Rodney Ridgely John M. Clayton Thomas Clayton Spruance John M. Clayton Comegys Bates W. Saulsbury Sr E. Saulsbury Higgins Kenney Allee Richardson W. Saulsbury Jr Ball T. C. du Pont Hastings Hughes Buck Frear Boggs Biden Kaufman Coons

Members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware
Vining Patten Latimer Bayard C. Rodney Broom Van Dyke Ridgely Cooper T. Clayton McLane Hall D. Rodney Johns Milligan Robinson G. Rodney J. Houston Riddle Cullen Whiteley Fisher Temple Smithers Nicholson Biggs Lofland J. Williams Martin Lore Penington Causey Willis Handy J. Hoffecker W. Hoffecker Ball H. Houston Burton Heald Brockson Miller Polk Layton Boyce R. Houston Adams Stewart Allen G. Williams Traynor Willey Boggs Warburton McDowell Haskell Roth du Pont Evans Carper Castle Carney Rochester (elect)