Tompkins, Daniel D., 1774-1825

<p>Daniel D. Tompkins (June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825) was an American politician. He was the fourth governor of New York from 1807 to 1817, and the sixth vice president of the United States from 1817 to 1825.</p>

<p>Born in Scarsdale, New York, Tompkins practiced law in New York City after graduating from Columbia College. He was a delegate to the 1801 New York constitutional convention and served on the New York Supreme Court from 1804 to 1807. In 1807, he defeated incumbent Morgan Lewis to become the Governor of New York. He held that office from 1807 to 1817, serving for the duration of the War of 1812. During the war, he often spent his own money to equip and pay the militia when the legislature wasn't in session, or would not approve the necessary funds.</p>

<p>Tompkins was the Democratic-Republican Party's vice presidential nominee in the 1816 presidential election. The ticket of James Monroe and Tompkins easily prevailed over limited Federalist opposition. He served as vice president from 1817 to 1825, and was the only 19th century vice president to serve two full terms. In 1820, he sought another term as Governor of New York, but was defeated by DeWitt Clinton. After the War of 1812, Tompkins was in poor physical and financial health, the latter condition stemming largely from his spending for the military effort during the War of 1812. He fell into alcoholism and was unable to re-establish fiscal solvency despite winning partial reimbursement from the federal government in 1823. He died in June 1825, soon after leaving office.</p>

Daniel D. Tompkins was born in Westchester County, New York, in 1774, and entered Columbia College (now Columbia University) in 1792. He graduated three years later and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1797. Tompkins was a member of the New York state constitutional convention in 1801 and joined the state assembly in 1803. In 1804, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives but resigned before he took his seat to accept an appointment as an associate justice of the New York Supreme Court. Tompkins was first elected governor of New York in 1807 and was subsequently reelected in 1810, 1813, and 1816, serving until he became vice president in 1817. As governor, he was part of the Democratic-Republican Party. He stressed education and more humane treatment of prisoners. He also strongly supported President James Madison and his decision to fight in the War of 1812. Tompkins organized defenses for his state and used his own money to help fund state militias. Although he was widely praised for his dedication and leadership during the war, his commitment caused him problems in later life. Initially Tompkins had aspirations to be President but soon realized that he was not widely enough known outside of New York. Still the Democratic-Republicans chose him to serve as vice president to add geographic balance to James Monroe of Virginia. Once in office, Tompkins lacked interest in overseeing the Senate as that body’s president. He missed many sessions, and many people noted his excessive drinking. During his tenure as vice president, Tompkins exerted much of his time and energy to fight allegations that he had mishandled federal and state funds during the War of 1812. Although Tompkins kept incomplete records and commingled his personal funds with government money, he fought the charges that he had willfully misused public money. He was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, and the government, in fact, paid him a small amount of money. Still saddled with debt and maligned for his drinking, Tompkins left the vice presidency without a political future. He died in 1825, shortly after leaving office.

TOMPKINS, DANIEL D., (brother of Caleb Tompkins), a Vice President of the United States; born in Fox Meadows (later Scarsdale), Westchester County, N.Y., June 21, 1774; completed preparatory studies; graduated from Columbia College, New York City, in 1795; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1797 and began practice in New York City; delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1801; member, State assembly 1803; elected to the Ninth Congress, but resigned before the beginning of the congressional term to accept an appointment as associate justice of the State supreme court, in which capacity he served from 1804 to 1807; Governor of New York 1807-1817; declined an appointment as Secretary of State of the United States tendered by President James Madison; elected Vice President of the United States on the ticket with James Monroe in 1816; reelected in 1820 and served from March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1825; delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1821, serving as its president; died in Tompkinsville, Staten Island, N.Y., June 11, 1825; interment in the Minthorne vault in St. Mark's Churchyard, New York City.