Pruyn was admitted to the New York bar (1831) and practised law in Albany. He was later director of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad Company (1835-1845), and a trustee of the Mutual Life Insurance Company. Rockwell was a graduate of Yale University (1822) and practised law in Norwich, Connecticut. He later served in the Connecticut senate (1839) and the U.S. Congress (1845-1849).
John VanSchaick Lansing Pruyn (1811-1877), also known as John V. L. Pruyn, of Albany, Albany County, New York, was a member of New York state senate 13th District, 1862-1863, and twice a U.S. Representative from New York 14th District (1863-1865 and 1867-1869). A practicing attorney, Pruyn was also Regent and later Chancellor of the University of the State of New York, President of the Albany Institute of History and Art, and Director of the New York Central Railroad. Anna Fenn Parker (1840-1909), to whom a few of the letters in the collection are addressed, was his second wife; his first was Harriet Corning Turner (1822-1859) of Troy, New York. For more information, refer to volume 1 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs (New York: 1911), edited by Cuyler Reynolds, pp. 144-148.
New York lawyer, politician.
American lawyer.
Attorney.
Lawyer, State legislator, U.S. Representative from New York, and regent and Chancellor of the University of the State of New York.