Stephen L. Mayham

Stephen Lorenzo Mayham (October 8, 1826 – March 3, 1908) was an attorney and politician from Schoharie County, New York. He was most notable for his service as a U.S. Representative from New York and a justice of the New York Supreme Court.

Stephen L. Mayham
From 1899's Biographical Review: Greene, Schoharie and Schenectady Counties, New York
Justice of the New York Supreme Court for the Third Judicial Department
In office
January 3, 1887 – December 31, 1897
Preceded byRufus W. Peckham
Succeeded byEmory A. Chase
Presiding Judge of the Schoharie County Court
In office
1883–1887
Preceded byCharles Holmes
Succeeded byWilliam C. Lamont
Member of the United States House of Representatives from New York's 14th congressional district
In office
March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879
Preceded byJohn H. Bagley Jr.
Succeeded byWilliam Lounsbery
In office
March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871
Preceded byJohn V. L. Pruyn
Succeeded byEli Perry
Member of the New York State Assembly from Schoharie County
In office
January 1, 1863 – December 31, 1863
Preceded byWilliam Lamont
Succeeded byPeter P. Schoolcraft
District Attorney of Schoharie County, New York
In office
1859–1862
Preceded byNathan P. Hinman
Succeeded byWilliam H. Young
Town Supervisor of Blenheim, New York
In office
1858–1860
Preceded byMathew Feder
Succeeded byStephen L. Curtis
Personal details
Born(1826-10-08)October 8, 1826
Blenheim, New York
DiedMarch 3, 1908(1908-03-03) (aged 81)
Schoharie, New York
Resting placeSt. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Schoharie, New York
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJulia A. Martin (m. 1849-1895, her death)
Children5
ProfessionAttorney

Early life

Stephen L. Mayham was born in Blenheim, New York on October 8, 1826, a son of John and Betsey (Ferguson) Mayham.[1] Mayham was one of twelve children, eleven of whom survived to adulthood. His siblings included Thomas Friend Mayham, a physician who served as mayor of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.[2] Another brother, Jay Mayham, served as judge of the Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin court.[2] Mayham's brother J. Banks Mayham served as mayor of Murphysboro, Illinois.[2]

Mayham worked on his family's farm while attending the local schools.[2] He obtained his teaching credentials, and at age eighteen began working a teacher in the district schools.[2] In 1844 he began studying law at the Gilboa, New York Gilboa office of attorney Samuel W. Jackson, who later served as a justice of the New York Supreme Court.[3] He completed his studies at the Ithaca, New York office of Samuel Love and George G. Freer, attained admission to the bar in 1848, and began to practice in Blenheim.[4]

Start of career

A Democrat, Mayham served as Schoharie County's superintendent of schools from 1852 to 1857.[4] From 1858 to 1860 he was Blenheim's town supervisor.[4] From 1859 to 1862 he served as District Attorney of Schoharie County.[4] In 1862, he moved to Schoharie, and in 1863, he served a one-year term in the New York State Assembly.[4]

In 1868, Mayham was elected to the United States House of Representatives.[4] He served in the 41st Congress, March 4, 1869 to March 3, 1871.[4] During this term, he served on the Committee on Private Land Claims and the Committee on Expenditures of the State and Post Office Departments.[4] In 1876 he was elected to the 45th Congress, March 4, 1877 to March 3, 1879.[4] During this term, he was a member of the Committee on the District of Columbia and the Committee on State Department Expenditures.[4]

Later career

Mayham served as judge of the Schoharie County Court and the county surrogate court from 1883 to 1887.[4] He was also a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1884 and again in 1892.[5] In 1886, Mayham was elected a justice of the New York Supreme Court, and he served until 1897.[4] Mayham was president of Schoharie's board of education for eight years, and was the first president of the Schoharie Valley Railroad Company.[4] After leaving the bench, he practiced law in partnership with his son Claude, and was often sought out to act as a referee for corporate and railroad litigation.[4]

Death and burial

Mayham died in Schoharie, New York on March 3, 1908.[6][7] He was buried at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Schoharie.[8]

Family

In 1849, Mayham married Julia A. Martin (1829-1895).[9][10] They were the parents of sons F. Matt, Don S., and Claude B., and daughter Ida L.[11]

References
  1. Biographical Review. Vol. XXXIII: Greene, Schoharie and Schenectady Counties, New York. Boston, MA: Biographical Review Publishing Company. 1899. p. 125 – via HathiTrust.
  2. Biographical Review, p. 125.
  3. Biographical Review, pp. 125–126.
  4. Biographical Review, p. 126.
  5. Hayden, Carl, Chairman U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Printing (1950). Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 1517 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Death Notice, Judge Mayham". The Delaware Gazette. Delhi, NY. March 11, 1908. p. 1 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  7. "New York Death Index, 1852-1956, Entry for Stephen L Mayham". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. p. 577. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  8. Biographical Directory, p. 1517.
  9. Biographical Review, pp. 126–127.
  10. Raymond, Grace (1950). The family of Henry Maham of Blenheim Hill, Schoharie County, New York (PDF). Lexington, MA: Mayham Family Reunion Committee. p. 20.
  11. Biographical Review, p. 127.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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