John B. Stanchfield

John Barry Stanchfield (March 30, 1855 – June 25, 1921) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a prominent litigator and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 1900.

John B. Stanchfield
Member of the New York State Assembly
In office
1895–1896
ConstituencyChemung County
Mayor of Elmira, New York
In office
1886–1888
Personal details
Born
John Barry Stanchfield

(1855-03-30)March 30, 1855
Elmira, New York
DiedJune 25, 1921(1921-06-25) (aged 66)
Islip, New York
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Clara S. Spaulding
​
(m. 1886)​
Children2
Education
OccupationLawyer, politician
Signature

Life
John Purroy Mitchel and James Watson Gerard and John Barry Stanchfield in 1917

John B. Stanchfield was born in Elmira, New York on March 13, 1855, the son of Dr. John K. Stanchfield.[1][2] He graduated from Amherst College in 1876, and from Harvard Law School in 1878. He commenced the practice of law in Elmira in partnership with David B. Hill, later Governor of New York (1885–1891). Afterwards he was a partner in the Elmira law firm of Reynolds, Stanchfield & Collin (named Sayles & Evans since 1945).

Stanchfield was District Attorney of Chemung County from 1880 to 1885; and Mayor of Elmira, New York from 1886 to 1888. He married Clara S. Spaulding on September 2, 1886, and they had two children.[1][2] He was a member of the New York State Assembly for Chemung Co. in 1895 and 1896; and was Minority Leader in 1896. Afterwards he removed to New York City, and became a partner in the New York City law firm of Chadbourne, Stanchfield & Levy (now Chadbourne & Parke).

At the New York state election, 1900, he ran for Governor of New York, but was defeated by Republican Benjamin B. Odell, Jr.. In 1903, Stanchfield was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator from New York, but was defeated by the incumbent Republican Thomas C. Platt.

Stanchfield was a delegate to the 1904 and 1912 Democratic National Conventions, and a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1915.

He died of kidney failure at his home in Islip at the age of 66, and was buried in Elmira.[2]

Cases

Shortly after his removal to New York City, he appeared for Richard Albert Canfield and secured the dismissal of an indictment, earning a fee of $30,000.

In 1909, he defended F. Augustus Heinze against accusations of misapplying funds of the Mercantile National Bank, and received a fee of $800,000 after Heinze's acquittal.

He represented the State of New York at the impeachment trial of Governor William Sulzer in 1913, and at the trial of the suspended Socialist assemblymen (Louis Waldman, August Claessens, Charles Solomon) in 1920.[3]

In 1915, he secured the release of Harry Kendall Thaw from the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.[4]

References
  1. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. XIV. James T. White & Company. 1910. pp. 360–361. Retrieved December 17, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. "J. B. Stanchfield Dies Suddenly At Islip Home". New-York Tribune. June 26, 1921. p. 14. Retrieved December 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "State Republican Leaders Fear Bad Situation From Trial of Five Socialists". New York Herald. Albany, New York. January 25, 1920. p. 19. Retrieved December 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Court Sets Thaw Free". Atchison Daily Globe. New York. Associated Press. July 16, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved December 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Augustus Van Wyck		 Democratic nominee for Governor of New York
1900		 Succeeded by
Bird Sim Coler
New York State Assembly
Preceded by
Robert P. Bush		 New York State Assembly
Chemung County
1895–1896		 Succeeded by
John H. Holbert
Political offices
Preceded by
Samuel J. Foley		 Minority Leader in the New York State Assembly
1896		 Succeeded by
Daniel E. Finn
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