Captain Myndert Marselis Dox (January 6, 1790 – September 8, 1830) was a soldier and government official in Western New York.

Early life

Dox was born on January 6, 1790, in Albany, New York and was baptized in the Albany Dutch Reformed Church on January 17, 1790. He was a son of Catalyntje Lansing and merchant and skipper Pieter Dox, who served in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. His brother, Peter P. Dox, was

Postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

of Albany from 1814 until his death in November 1815 when he was succeeded by another brother, Gerrit Lansing Dox in January 1816, who later served as

New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the ...

from February 1817 to January 1821. Through his brother Abraham, he was uncle to

Peter Myndert Dox Peter Myndert Dox (September 11, 1813 – April 2, 1891) was an American politician who served the state of Alabama in the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives between 1869 and 1873. Early life Dox was born in Ge ...

, who represented Alabama in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

between 1869 and 1873. His paternal grandparents were Abraham Dox and Rebecca ( Marselis) Dox (a daughter of his namesake Myndert Marselis). His maternal grandparents were Gerrit Lansing Jr. and his second wife, the former Wyntie ( Vandenbergh) Lansing.

Career

Dox relocated to Geneva, New York and during the War of 1812, served as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the Thirteenth Regiment of Infantry from 1812 to 1815. In 1817, Dox was elected to represent Seneca County in 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 ...

for the

41st New York State Legislature The 41st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 27 to April 21, 1818, during the first year of DeWitt Clinton's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the pro ...

. He claimed his seat, but was not admitted. However, he was paid like a member until the final rejection of his claim. John Sutton was returned as elected from both Seneca Co. and Tompkins Co. which gave Dox a strong argument to pursue his claim vigorously, but without success. It was reported that Dox "declined to take the oath prescribed by the law to prevent dueling, on account, it is said, of conscientious scruples which he entertained." In 1822, President James Monroe appointed Dox to replace Collector of the Port of Buffalo Oliver Forward. President John Quincy Adams wrote of Dox in his diary on March 24, 1828, claiming that

Stephen Pleasonton Stephen Pleasonton (1776? – January 31, 1855) was the first "Fifth Auditor" of the U.S. Treasury Department; he is historically significant for his part in saving priceless early government documents from possible destruction, but is chiefly rem ...

, Auditor of the U.S. Treasury Department, had supplied him with letters and depositions asserting that Dox embezzled $4,000 intended for the construction of a light house on the Buffalo harbor. Nevertheless, he remained in his post and was succeeded by Andrew Jackson's appointee

Pierre A. Barker Pierre Augustus Barker (April 17, 1790 – January 4, 1870) was an American mayor of Buffalo, New York, serving in 1837–1838. Early life He was born in LaGrange, New York, on April 17, 1790. He was a son of Samuel Still Augustus Barker (1756– ...

in 1829.

Personal life

Dox died, unmarried, in Buffalo on September 8, 1830.

References

External links

Dox, Myndert M.
at The Political Graveyard {{DEFAULTSORT:Dox, Myndert M. 1790 births 1830 deaths People from Albany, New York Politicians from Geneva, New York Collectors of the Port of Buffalo