Nathaniel Bowditch Blunt (June 19, 1804July 17, 1854) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He became the New York County district attorney in 1851.

Early life

Nathaniel Blunt was born on June 19, 1804, in

Newburyport, Massachusetts Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...

. He was the youngest of four sons of

Edmund March Blunt Edmund March Blunt (June 20, 1770 – January 4, 1862) was an American navigator, author, and publisher of nautical magazines. He established a nautical book and chart publishing firm that became the largest publishing firm in the early 19th ce ...

Career

Blunt was a New York County district attorney from 1851 until his death in July 1854. He was elected in 1850 and 1853 on the Whig ticket. In 1853, he defeated the Democratic candidate Chauncey Shaffer by a majority of only 78 votes. In 1851, Blunt appointed as his Assistant D.A. the then 24-year-old

A. Oakey Hall Abraham Oakey Hall (July 26, 1826 – October 7, 1898) was an American politician, lawyer, and writer. He served as Mayor of New York from 1869 to 1872 as a Democrat. Hall, known as "Elegant Oakey", was a model of serenity and respectability. R ...

, who was elected D.A. of New York in November 1854, and was

Mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...

from 1869 to 1872.

Personal life

Blunt's daughter Lizzie Blunt died on September 8, 1862. She was married to Dr. A. Henry Thurston. Nathaniel's oldest brother,

Joseph Blunt Joseph Blunt (February 1792June 16, 1860, was an American lawyer, author, editor, and politician from New York. In 1858, he was appointed New York County district attorney. Early life Blunt was born on February 1792 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. ...

, was New York County district attorney in 1858. The other two brothers, Edmund (1799-1866) and George William (1802-1878), followed their father's steps and got involved in nautical affairs. Edmund assisted

Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler (October 6, 1770 – November 20, 1843) was a Swiss-American surveyor who is considered the forefather of both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Techno ...

in surveying the port of New York for the United States Coast Survey in 1817. George William Blunt was for decades a member, and later secretary, of the Board of Pilot Commissioners, and in 1857 was appointed a New York Harbor Commissioner. His nephew was Capt. Edmund Blunt. Blunt died on July 17, 1854, in Lebanon Springs, Columbia County, New York."Funeral of N.B. Blunt, Esq."
''New York Times'', July 20, 1854.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blunt, Nathaniel Bowditch 1804 births 1854 deaths New York County District Attorneys Politicians from Newburyport, Massachusetts New York (state) Whigs 19th-century American politicians