Schuyler Colfax

Birth Name: Schuyler Colfax, Jr.

Date of Birth: March 23, 1823

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: January 13, 1885

Place of Death: Mankato, Minnesota, U.S.

Ethnicity: Dutch, English, distant Welsh, French Huguenot, German, and Scottish

Schuyler Colfax was an American politician, journalist, lecturer, speechmaker, and businessperson. He served as Vice President of the United States, from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1873. He was elected to the position in 1868. He was also a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana, from March 4, 1855 to March 3, 1869, and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and Leader of the House Republican Conference, both, from December 7, 1863 to March 3, 1869. He was a Whig until 1854, a member of the Indiana People’s Party in that year, and a member of the Republican Party, which he co-founded, subsequently. As Speaker, he led the effort to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery.

Vice President Colfax was the son of Hannah Delameter (Stryker) and Schuyler Colfax, a bank teller. His paternal grandparents lived in the historic Schuyler–Colfax House. His family moved to New Carlisle, Indiana, during his teens. He was married to Evelyn Clark Colfax, until her death, and then to Ellen Maria Colfax (née Wade), until his death. Ellen was the niece of politician Benjamin Wade, who was a U.S. Senator from Ohio, from 1851 to 1869, and President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, from 1867 to 1869. He had a son with Ellen Maria, politician Schuyler Colfax III, who was Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 1898 to 1902.

Vice President Colfax’s paternal grandfather was William Colfax (the son of George Colfax and Lucy Avery). William was born in New London, New London Co., Connecticut, and was of English descent. He was a Captain in George Washington’s Life Guard during the American Revolution, when he was also a general in the New Jersey Militia. He fought in the battles of Bunker Hill and White Plains, and attended Lord Cornwallis’s formal surrender at Yorktown. Vice President Colfax’s great-grandfather George was the son of Jonathan Colfax and Anne Latimer. Vice President Colfax’s great-grandmother Lucy was the daughter of Ebenezer Avery and Lucy Latham.

Vice President Colfax’s paternal grandmother was Hester Schuyler (the daughter of Casparus Schuyler and Christina Ryerson). Casparus was the son of Philip/Philippus Arentse Schuyler and Hester Kingsland, whose own parents were English. Philip’s grandfather was Dutch-born colonist landowner Philip Pieterse Schuyler, who began the prominent Schuyler family in the U.S.

Vice President Colfax’s maternal grandfather was named Peter Johannes Stryker (the son of Johannes Stryker and Elizabeth). Peter was born in New Jersey.

Vice President Colfax’s maternal grandmother was Hannah Delamater (the daughter of Samuel Delamater and Hannah Vanderburgh). Hannah was born in New York. Samuel was the son of Samuel Delamater and Catalina Waldron.

Sources: Genealogies of Schuyler Colfax – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Genealogy of Schuyler Colfax (focusing on his father’s side) – https://famouskin.com