169th New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session February 2025 October 2019 169th January 1, 1953 December 31, 1954 Lt. Gov. Frank C. Moore (R), until September 30, 1953 Arthur H. Wicks (R), until November 18, 1953; Walter J. Mahoney (R), from November 18, 1953 Oswald D. Heck (R) 56 150 Republican (37–19) Republican (97–53) 1st January 7 March 21, 1953 2nd November 17 18, 1953 3rd January 6 March 20, 1954 4th June 10, 1954 168th 170th The 169th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7, 1953, to June 10, 1954, during the eleventh and twelfth years of Thomas E. Dewey's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1943, 56 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. The senatorial districts consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were Kings (nine districts), New York (six), Bronx (five), Queens (four), Erie (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Nassau (two). The Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county (except Hamilton Co.), or of contiguous area within one county. At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Liberal Party, the American Labor Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Labor Party (running under the name of "Industrial Government Party") also nominated tickets. Elections The 1952 New York state election was held on November 4. The only statewide elective office up for election was carried by the incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Irving M. Ives. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Republicans 3,854,000; Democrats 2,522,000; Liberals 490,000; American Labor 105,000; Socialist Workers 4,300; Socialists 3,400; and Industrial Government 2,500. All five women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Mary A. Gillen (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Janet Hill Gordon (Rep.), a lawyer of Norwich; Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of Plandome Heights; Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of Lyons; and Maude E. Ten Eyck (Rep.), of Manhattan—were re-elected. Ex-Assemblywoman Gladys E. Banks, of the Bronx, was again elected to the Assembly. The 1953 New York state election was held on November 3. The only statewide elective office up for election was carried by the incumbent Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Edmund H. Lewis who had been appointed temporarily to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John T. Loughran. Also, nine amendments to the State Constitution, among them one that required the voter to cast a single joint vote for the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor on any ticket, were approved by the electorate. One vacancy in the State Senate and eight vacancies in the Assembly were filled.LEGISLATIVE VOTE PROVIDES NO UPSET in The New York Times on November 4, 1953 (subscription required) Frances K. Marlatt, a lawyer of Mount Vernon, was elected to fill a vacancy in the Assembly, reaching again the number of seven women in the Assembly. Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 176th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1953; and adjourned on March 21.INQUIRY INTO COSTS OF JOB INSURANCE ORDERED BY DEWEY in The New York Times on March 23, 1953 (subscription required) Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker. Arthur H. Wicks (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate. On September 30, 1953, Lt. Gov. Frank C. Moore (Rep.) resignedMoore Quits as Lieutenant Governor in The New York Times on October 1, 1953 (subscription required) and on October 1, 1953, Wicks became Acting Lieutenant Governor.Wicks Is Acting Lieutenant Governor in The New York Times on October 2, 1953 (subscription required) The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on November 17, 1953;Senate Controversy Stalls Redistricting in The New York Times on November 18, 1953 (subscription required) and adjourned on the next day. The session was called to enact a new State Senate re-apportionment.CREWS PLAN FAILS ON REDISTRICTING in The New York Times on November 19, 1953 (subscription required) On November 18, 1953, Wicks resigned as Temporary President, and Walter J. Mahoney was elected to succeed as Temporary President and Acting Lieutenant Governor.WICKS RESIGNS POST AS SENATE LEADER IN COMPROMISE STEP in The New York Times on November 19, 1953 (subscription required) The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 177th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1954; and adjourned on March 20. The Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on June 10, 1954;DEMOCRATS READY FOR L. I. RAIL FIGHT AT SESSION TODAY in The New York Times on June 10, 1954 (subscription required) and adjourned on the same day.POWER PLAN SPED BY NEW STATE LAW in The New York Times on June 11, 1954 (subscription required) The session was called to enact legislation concerning the Long Island Rail Road, amendments to the new legislative re-apportionment, and the construction of the Moses-Saunders Power Dam.THE LEGISLATURE CALLED in The New York Times on June 8, 1954 (subscription required) The Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts and the number of seats per county. The total number of senators was increased from 56 to 58; Bronx County lost one senatorial seat; and Nassau, Onondaga and Queens counties gained one senatorial seat each. Kings County lost two Assembly seats, and Albany and Bronx counties lost one seat each; Nassau County gained two seats, and Queens and Suffolk counties gained one seat each.For the new apportionment see Where to Reach Your State Senator Or Assemblyman in Civil Service Leader (January 18, 1955, Vol. XVI, No. 19, pg. 3 and 14) State Senate Districts 30em 1st District: Suffolk County 2nd and 3rd District: Parts of Nassau County 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th District: Parts of Queens County, i.e. the Borough of Queens 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn 17th District: Richmond County, i.e. the Borough of Richmond (now the Borough of Staten Island) 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the Borough of Manhattan 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx 29th, 30th and 31st District: Parts of Westchester County 32nd District: Orange and Rockland counties 33rd District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties 34th District: Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties 35th District: Albany County 36th District: Rensselaer and Saratoga counties 37th District: Montgomery and Schenectady counties 38th District: Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington counties 39th District: St. Lawrence and Franklin counties 40th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer and Lewis counties 41st District: Oneida County 42nd District: Jefferson and Oswego counties 43rd District: Onondaga County 44th District: Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Otsego and Schoharie counties 45th District: Broome County 46th District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties 47th District: Cayuga, Seneca and Wayne counties 48th District: Ontario, Steuben and Yates counties 49th District: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties 50th and 51st District: Parts of Monroe County 52nd District: Niagara and Orleans counties 53rd, 54th and 55th District: Parts of Erie County 56th District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Wheeler Milmoe changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Edward P. Larkin was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate. Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Senator Party Notes1stS. Wentworth Horton* Republican 2ndJohn D. Bennett* Republicanresigned to run for Surrogate of Nassau CountyEdward P. Larkin* Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy3rdWilliam S. Hults Jr.* Republican4thSeymour Halpern* Republican5thMilton Koerner Republican6thBernard Tompkins Republican7thCarlo A. Lanzillotti Republican8thThomas J. Cuite Dem./Lib.9thHarry Gittleson* Dem./Lib.10thHerbert I. Sorin* Dem./Lib.11thFred G. Moritt* Dem./Lib.12thSamuel L. Greenberg* Dem./Lib.13thJohn F. Furey* Dem./Lib.14thMario M. DeOptatis* Dem./Lib.15thLouis L. Friedman* Dem./Lib.16thWilliam Rosenblatt* Dem./Lib.17thJohn G. Macdonald Republican18thJoseph R. Marro Dem./Lib.19thFrancis J. Mahoney* Dem./Lib.Minority Leader 20thMacNeil Mitchell* Republican21stJulius A. Archibald Dem./Lib.22ndAlfred E. Santangelo Dem./Lib.23rdJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.24thJohn J. Donovan Jr.* Democrat25thArthur Wachtel* Democratresigned on January 19, 1954,Elected Public Officials of the Bronx Since 1898 https://web.archive.org/web/20140311043122/http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/Elected%20Officials%20Website%20Version.pdf March 11, 2014 (2014; pg. 12); the seat remained vacant for the remainder of the session appointed to the Municipal Court26thNathaniel T. Helman* Democrat27thJoseph F. Periconi Republican28thFrancis J. McCaffrey* Democrat29thWilliam F. Condon* Republican30thFrank S. McCullough* Republican31stPliny W. Williamson* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary 32ndThomas C. Desmond* Republican33rdErnest I. Hatfield* Republican34thArthur H. Wicks* Republicanre-elected Temporary President; on November 18, 1953, resigned as Temporary President35thPeter J. Dalessandro* Dem./Lib.36thGilbert T. Seelye* Republican37thThomas F. Campbell* Rep./Dem.38thHenry Neddo* Republican 39thPaul D. Graves* Republicanon November 27, 1953, appointed to the New York Supreme CourtDewey Names Senator Graves Supreme Court Justice in The New York Times on November 28, 1953 (subscription required)Robert C. McEwen Republicanon January 5, 1954, elected to fill vacancy40thWalter Van Wiggeren* Republican41stFred J. Rath* Republican42ndHenry A. Wise* Republican43rdJohn H. Hughes* Republican44thWheeler Milmoe* Rep./Dem.45thWarren M. Anderson Republican46thDutton Peterson Rep./Dem.47thGeorge R. Metcalf* Republican48thHarry K. Morton Republican49thAustin W. Erwin* RepublicanChairman of Finance, from November 18, 195350thGeorge T. Manning* Republican51stFrank E. Van Lare* Republican52ndEarl W. Brydges* Republican53rdWalter J. Mahoney* RepublicanChairman of Finance, until November 18, 1953; on November 18, 1953, elected Temporary President54thStanley J. Bauer* Rep./Lib.55thJohn H. Cooke* Republican56thGeorge H. Pierce* Republican Employees Secretary: William S. King State Assembly Assemblymen Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany1stD-Cady Herrick 2nd* Dem./Lib.2ndJames J. McGuiness* Dem./Lib.3rdJohn W. Tabner Republican AlleganyWilliam H. MacKenzie* RepublicanChairman of Ways and MeansCOMMITTEE LEADERS NAMED FOR ASSEMBLY in The New York Times on January 13, 1953 (subscription required) Bronx1stBernard C. McDonnell* Democrat2ndSidney H. Asch Democrat 3rdEdward T. Galloway* Democratresigned on May 12, 1953, appointed as a City MagistrateMorris Mohr Democraton November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy4thJacob H. Gilbert* Democrat 5thDavid Ross* Democratresigned on July 23, 1953, to run for the City CouncilFelipe N. Torres Democraton November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy6thJulius J. Gans* Democrat 7thLouis Peck* Democratresigned on July 21, 1953Elected Public Officials of the Bronx Since 1898 https://web.archive.org/web/20140311043122/http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/Elected%20Officials%20Website%20Version.pdf March 11, 2014 (2014; pg. 21)Walter H. Gladwin Democraton November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy8thJohn T. Satriale* Democrat9thGeorge W. Harrington Republican10thThomas E. Ferrandina Republican11thGladys E. Banks Republican12thMitchell J. Sherwin* Democrat13thWilliam Kapelman* Democrat Broome1stRichard H. Knauf* Republican2ndGeorge L. Ingalls Republican CattaraugusLeo P. Noonan* Republican CayugaCharles A. Cusick* Republican ChautauquaE. Herman Magnuson* Republican ChemungHarry J. Tifft* Republican ChenangoJanet Hill Gordon* Rep./Dem. ClintonJames A. FitzPatrick* Republican ColumbiaWillard C. Drumm* Republican CortlandLouis H. Folmer* Republican DelawareEdwyn E. Mason Republican DutchessRobert Watson Pomeroy* Republican Erie1stThomas J. Runfola* Republican2ndJustin C. Morgan* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary3rdWilliam J. Butler* Republican4thFrank J. Caffery* Democrat 5thPhilip V. Baczkowski* Democratresigned on January 5, 1954John B. Lis Democraton February 16, 1954, elected to fill vacancy6thGeorge F. Dannebrock* Republican7thJulius Volker* Republican8thWilliam Sadler* Republican EssexGrant W. Johnson* Republican FranklinRobert G. Main* Republican Fulton and HamiltonJoseph R. Younglove* Republican GeneseeJohn E. Johnson* Republican GreeneWilliam E. Brady* Republican HerkimerLeo A. Lawrence* Republican JeffersonOrin S. Wilcox* Republican Kings1stMax M. Turshen* Democrat2ndJ. Sidney Levine* Democrat3rdMary A. Gillen* Democrat4thBernard Austin* Democrat 5thHarry Morr* Democratresigned on December 24, 1953John A. Monteleone Democraton February 16, 1954, elected to fill vacancy6thJohn J. Ryan* Democrat7thLouis Kalish* Democrat8thFrank Composto* Democrat9thFrank J. McMullen* Republican10thLewis W. Olliffe* Republican11thEugene F. Bannigan* DemocratMinority LeaderDEMOCRATS AFFIRM LEADERS IN ALBANY in The New York Times on January 7, 1953 (subscription required)12thHerbert Samuels* Democrat13thLawrence P. Murphy* Democrat14thEdward S. Lentol* Democrat 15thJohn Smolenski* Democratdied on May 31, 1953James J. Amelia Democraton November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy16thFrank J. Pino* Democrat17thBertram L. Baker* Democrat18thStanley Steingut Democrat 19thPhilip J. Schupler* Democratresigned on December 28, 1953Frank S. Samansky Democraton February 16, 1954, elected to fill vacancy20thJoseph R. Corso* Democrat21stThomas A. Dwyer* Democrat22ndAnthony J. Travia* Democrat23rdAlfred A. Lama* Democrat24thBen Werbel* Democrat LewisBenjamin H. Demo* Republican LivingstonJoseph W. Ward* Republican MadisonHarold I. Tyler Republican Monroe1stJ. Eugene Goddard* Republican2ndA. Gould Hatch* Republican3rdPaul B. Hanks Jr. Republican4thThomas F. Riley Republican MontgomeryDonald A. Campbell* Republican Nassau 1stEdward P. Larkin Republicanresigned on July 7, 1953, to run for the State SenateJohn G. Herrmann Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy2ndJoseph F. Carlino* Republican3rdGenesta M. Strong* Republican4thJohn J. Burns* Republican New York1stMaude E. Ten Eyck* Republican2ndLouis DeSalvio* Democrat3rdJohn J. Mangan* Democrat4thLeonard Farbstein* Democrat5thLudwig Teller* Democrat6thIrving Kirschenbaum Democrat7thDaniel M. Kelly* Democrat8thArchibald Douglas Jr.* Republican9thJohn R. Brook* Republican10thHerman Katz* Democrat11thJames C. Thomas Democrat12thLeslie T. Turner Democrat13thOrest V. Maresca* Democrat 14thHulan E. Jack* Democratresigned to run for Borough President of ManhattanKenneth M. Phipps Democraton February 16, 1954, elected to fill vacancy15thSamuel Roman* Republican16thLouis A. Cioffi* Democrat Niagara1stJacob E. Hollinger* Republican2ndErnest Curto* Republican Oneida1stFrancis J. Alder* Republican2ndWilliam S. Calli* Republican Onondaga1stSearles G. Shultz* Republican 2ndDonald H. Mead* Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected Mayor of Syracuse The seat remained vacant throughout the session of 1954Gov. Dewey ordered special elections to be held on February 16, 1954, to fill five vacancies in the Assembly. However, both Republicans and Democrats agreed not to hold a special election in Onondaga County's 2nd district, to save the expense which the election would cost the county; see Senator Tries To Head Off Special Vote in the Daily Sentinel, of Rome, on January 19, 19543rdLawrence M. Rulison* Republican OntarioThompson M. Scoon* Republicandied on July 27, 1953Robert M. Quigley Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy Orange1stLee B. Mailler* RepublicanMajority Leader2ndWilson C. Van Duzer* Republican OrleansAlonzo L. Waters* Republican OswegoHenry D. Coville* Republican OtsegoPaul L. Talbot* Republican PutnamWillis H. Stephens Republican Queens1stThomas V. LaFauci* Democrat2ndEdward J. Riley Republican3rdMartin J. Knorr Republican4thThomas A. Duffy* Democrat5thWilliam G. Giaccio* Democrat6thVincent L. Pitaro Republican7thAnthony P. Savarese Jr.* Republican8thSamuel Rabin* Republicanon November 2, 1954, elected to the New York Supreme Court9thFred W. Preller* Republican10thAngelo Graci* Republican11thThomas Fitzpatrick* Democrat12thJ. Lewis Fox* Democrat RensselaerThomas H. Brown* Republican Richmond1stEdward J. Amann Jr. Republican2ndLucio F. Russo Republican RocklandRobert Walmsley* Republican St. LawrenceAllan P. Sill* Republican SaratogaJohn L. Ostrander* Republican SchenectadyOswald D. Heck* Republicanre-elected Speaker SchoharieDavid Enders Republican SchuylerJerry W. Black* Republican SenecaLawrence W. Van Cleef* Republican SteubenJohn D. Young Republican Suffolk1stEdmund R. Lupton* Republican2ndElisha T. Barrett* Republican SullivanHyman E. Mintz* Republican TiogaRichard C. Lounsberry Republican TompkinsRay S. Ashbery* Republican UlsterJohn F. Wadlin* Republicandied on April 30, 1953Kenneth L. Wilson Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy WarrenStuart F. Hawley* Republican WashingtonWilliam J. Reid* Republican WayneMildred F. Taylor* Republican Westchester1stMalcolm Wilson* Republican2ndEdward H. Innet* Republican 3rdHarold D. Toomey* Republicandied on March 11, 1953Frances K. Marlatt Republicanon November 3, 1953, elected to fill vacancy4thHunter Meighan* Republican5thWilliam F. Horan Republican6thTheodore Hill Jr.* Republican WyomingHarold L. Peet* Republican YatesVernon W. Blodgett* Republican Employees Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski Sergeant-at-Arms: Herbert A. Bartholomew Notes Sources These Are Your N.Y. State Senators And Assemblymen, with Addresses in Civil Service Leader (January 27, 1953, Vol. XIV, No. 20, pg. 4f) Members of the New York Senate (1950s) at Political Graveyard Members of the New York Assembly (1950s) at Political Graveyard 169 Category:1953 in New York (state) Category:1954 in New York (state) Category:1953 U.S. legislative sessions Category:1954 U.S. legislative sessions