David M. Westcott

Col. David Mandeville Westcott (ca. 1769 – April 21, 1841) was an American politician and newspaper editor from New York.

David Mandeville Westcott
Member of the New York State Senate for the 2nd District
In office January 1, 1831 – December 31, 1834
Preceded by	Benjamin Woodward
Succeeded by	John P. Jones
Member of the New York State Assembly for Orange Co.
In office January 1, 1828 – December 31, 1828
In office July 1, 1798 – June 30, 1799
Personal details
Born	ca. 1769 Cornwall, Province of New York, British America
Died	April 21, 1841 Goshen, New York, U.S.
Political party	Jeffersonian Democrat
Spouse(s)	Keziah Gale
Relations	Alexander Wilkin (grandson)
Children	8

Early life

Westcott was likely born in Cornwall, New York in 1769.[1] He was the son of Justice Westcott and his wife Mary.[2]

Career

In 1789, he moved to Goshen, and became co-editor of The Goshen Repository, and Weekly Intelligencer,[3] the first newspaper published in Goshen, founded in 1788 by David Mandeville.[1]

He was a member of the New York State Assembly, representing Orange County, in 22nd New York State Legislature from July 1, 1798 to June 30, 1799. Westcott later served as the County Clerk of Orange County from 1815 to 1819, and from 1821 to 1822. During the 51st New York State Legislature, he was again a member of the State Assembly, serving from January 1 to December 31, 1828.[4]

Beginning on January 1, 1831, Westcott was a member of the New York State Senate, representing the 2nd District,[lower-alpha 1] sitting in the 54th, 55th, 56th and 57th New York State Legislatures and serving until December 31, 1834.[4]

Personal life

Westcott married the heiress Keziah Gale (1773–1819), the only child of Benjamin Gale.[5] Together, they had eight children, including:[6]

• Benjamin Gale Westcott (b. 1794).[7]
• Catherine Westcott (d. 1860), who married James W. Palmer, a wealthy merchant from New York.[7]
• Sarah Gale Westcott (1796–1854), who married Congressman Samuel Jones Wilkin (1793–1866), son of James Whitney Wilkin, who also served in Congress and as the Speaker of the New York State Assembly.[8]
• Jane Westcott (1800–1892), who did not marry.[7]
• Charlotte Westcott (1804–1880), who married Horace William Elliot (1788–1863).[7][9]
• Ann Maria Westcott (1808–1897), who married Alexander Duer (1793–1819), son of Continental Congressman William Duer and grandson of William Alexander, Lord Stirling.[6]
• David Mandeville Westcott (1810–1886), who married Sarah Van Deuzer.[7]
• Nathan Westcott (1812–1878), an attorney who served as the Clerk of Orange County[7] from 1844 to 1855.[1]

His wife died of consumption in December 1819.[2] Westcott died aged 72 in Goshen on April 21, 1841. He was buried at the Slate Hill Cemetery, also in Goshen.[10]

References

Notes

1. The 2nd District consisted of Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.[4]

Sources

1. Headley, Russel (1908). The History of Orange County, New York. Van Deusen and Elms. p. 703. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
2. Glick, Juneanne Wescoat (1991). Waistcote, Westcoatt, Wastcote, Westcot, Wescoat, Westcott, Wescott, Wescote, Westcoat, Wasgatt, Wesket, Yescut, Wisgitt, etc. J.W. Glick. pp. 373, 376, 377. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
3. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society. American Antiquarian Society. 1917. p. 242. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
4. Hough, Franklin B. (1858). The New York Civil List: Containing the names and origin of the civil divisions, and the names and dates of election or appointment of the principal state and county officers from the Revolution to the present time. Weed, Parsons and Co. p. 110. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
5. Coleman, Charles C. (1989). The Early Records of the First Presbyterian Church at Goshen, New York from 1767-1885. Heritage Books. p. 122. ISBN 9781556132223. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
6. Greene, Richard Henry; Stiles, Henry Reed; Dwight, Melatiah Everett; Morrison, George Austin; Mott, Hopper Striker; Totten, John Reynolds; Ditmas, Charles Andrew; Pitman, Harold Minot; Forest, Louis Effingham De; Maynard, Arthur S.; Mann, Conklin (1880). The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
7. Porter, William Smith (1863). Genealogy of the Eliot family. G. B. Bassett & co. p. 166. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
8. Daughters of the American Revolution (1919). Daughters of the American Lineage Book. The Society. p. 191. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
9. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. J.T. White. 1925. p. 358. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
10. The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1842. Boston: Gray and Bowen. 1842. p. 315. Retrieved 3 May 2018.

External links

• David M. Westcott at Find a Grave [Gives a wrong death date, but the tombstone shows the correct date given by the Almanac.]

New York State Senate
Preceded by Benjamin Woodward	New York State Senate Second District (Class 4) 1831–1834	Succeeded by John P. Jones