John Broome (politician)

He was an Alderman in 1783-84 and 1785–86, and New York City Treasurer in 1784. He was the president of the New York City Chamber of Commerce from 1785 to 1794, and was engaged in the trade with India and China at that time. He is said to have launched the importation of tea from China with an initial shipment of 2 million pounds.[2]

In August 1795, during an outbreak of yellow fever, he was the chairman of the city's Health Committee, appointed by Governor George Clinton the previous year, and kept on by Clinton's rival John Jay despite Broome's prominence at a partisan rally to oppose the treaty Jay had just negotiated with the British, since health was not considered a partisan issue. The health committee denied there was an epidemic and played down the number of deaths, attributing them to other causes.

Broome twice ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress; first in March 1789 against Federalist candidate John Laurance, and then again in April 1802 against Federalist candidate Joshua Sands. Broome was a member from New York County of the New York State Assembly in 1800-01 and 1802, and a member of the New York State Senate in 1804.

Broome was elected Lieutenant Governor of New York three times, serving from July 1804 until his death in office in August 1810. He initially defeated Oliver Phelps in 1804, and then won re-election over Thomas Storm in 1807 and Nicholas Fish in 1810. He served under two Governors of New York—first under Morgan Lewis (1804–1807), and then under Daniel D. Tompkins (1807–1810). Broome's death occurred a month into his third term, so that at first the President pro tempore of the State Senate John Tayler became acting lieutenant governor, and in April 1811 DeWitt Clinton won a special election to serve for the remainder of the term.

Through his son John, he was the grandfather of Marine Corps officer John Lloyd Broome (1824–1898).

Through his daughter Julia, he was the grandfather of Adele Caroline Livingston (1810/3–1841), who married New York merchant Joseph Sampson (1793–1872),[3] themselves the grandparents of Adele Livingston "Daisy" Stevens (1864–1939), who was married to Frederick Hobbes Allen (1858–1937),[4] a prominent international lawyer who was the son of Elisha Hunt Allen (1804–1883), former U.S. Representative from Maine and the United States Minister to the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1856 until his death in 1883,[5] and the grandson of Samuel Clesson Allen (1772–1842), a Senator from Massachusetts.[6]

Broome County, New York and the Town of Broome in Schoharie County, New York are named after him, as well as Broome Street in Manhattan in New York City.