Chauncey Johnston Fox (August 21, 1797 in

Tolland County, Connecticut Tolland County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2020 census, its population was 149,788. It is incorporated into 13 towns and was originally formed on 13 October 1785 from portions of eastern Ha ...

– February 11, 1883) was an American politician from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Life

He was the son of Thomas Fox (1770–1811) and Chloe (Bradley) Fox (1777–1852). In August 1818, Chauncey and his brother Pliny went to

Olean, New York Olean ( ) is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County and serves as its financial, business, transportation and entertainment center. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern ...

. They did not find any way to make a living and decided to go in a little boat to

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, but after two days on the

Allegheny River The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...

met a settler in the woods, and stayed in his employ. A few months later, Fox went to

Great Valley, New York Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,997 at the 2020 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries (the other being the neighboring ...

, and became a

lumberman Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

. Finding the work too hard, he abandoned lumbering, studied law with

John A. Bryan John Alexander Bryan (April 13, 1794 in Berkshire County, Massachusetts – May 24, 1864 in Menasha, Wisconsin) was an American diplomat and politician from New York (state), New York and Ohio. He removed to Ellicottville, New York, and was ...

instead, was admitted to the bar in 1826, and practiced in Ellicottville. On February 18, 1827, he married Hannah Hurlburt (1808–1896), and they had five children. He was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

(Cattaraugus Co.) in

1833 Events January–March * January 3 – Reassertion of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (1833), Reassertion of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. * February 6 – His Royal Highness Prince Otto ...

and

1834 Events January–March * January – The Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad is chartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. * January 1 – Zollverein (Germany): Customs charges are abolished at borders within its member states. * January 3 � ...

. He was a member of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan com ...

(8th D.) from 1835 to 1839, sitting in the 58th, 59th, 60th, 61st and

62nd New York State Legislature The 62nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to May 7, 1839, during the first year of William H. Seward's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provi ...

s. In the Senate he advocated the construction of the

Genesee Valley Canal The Genesee Valley Canal is a former canal that operated in central New York between 1840 and 1878. It ran for a length of 124 miles, passing through 106 locks. Its course was later used by the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad and today comprises po ...

which was authorized by the Legislature in 1836. He retired from the bar in 1848, and pursued agricultural interests on a farm near Ellicottville. He was buried at the Jefferson Street Cemetery in Ellicottville.

Sources

''The New York Civil List''
compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 130ff, 141, 213, 215 and 274; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) *Bio and portrait i
''Old Pioneers and Congressmen of Cattaraugus County''
compiled by John Manley (Little Valley NY, 1857; pg. 74ff) ives August 21 as birthdaybr>Cemetery records
at Painted Hills ives August 17 as birthdaybr>Bradley genealogy
at Bradley Foundation {{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Chauncey J 1797 births 1883 deaths New York (state) state senators Anti-Masonic Party politicians from New York (state) People from Tolland County, Connecticut People from Ellicottville, New York New York (state) Whigs 19th-century American legislators Members of the New York State Assembly