Stephen L. Mayham

Stephen L. Mayham
Justice of the New York Supreme Court for the Third Judicial Department
In office January 3, 1887 – December 31, 1897
Preceded by	Rufus W. Peckham
Succeeded by	Emory A. Chase
Presiding Judge of the Schoharie County Court
In office 1883–1887
Preceded by	Charles Holmes
Succeeded by	William 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 by	John H. Bagley Jr.
Succeeded by	William Lounsbery
In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871
Preceded by	John V. L. Pruyn
Succeeded by	Eli Perry
Member of the New York State Assembly from Schoharie County
In office January 1, 1863 – December 31, 1863
Preceded by	William Lamont
Succeeded by	Peter P. Schoolcraft
District Attorney of Schoharie County, New York
In office 1859–1862
Preceded by	Nathan P. Hinman
Succeeded by	William H. Young
Town Supervisor of Blenheim, New York
In office 1858–1860
Preceded by	Mathew Feder
Succeeded by	Stephen L. Curtis
Personal details
Born	(1826-10-08)October 8, 1826 Blenheim, New York
Died	March 3, 1908(1908-03-03) (aged 81) Schoharie, New York
Resting place	St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Schoharie, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Julia A. Martin (m. 1849-1895, her death)
Children	5
Profession	Attorney

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

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]

Early 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] His body lays 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 Matt F., 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.
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.

External links

• United States Congress. "Stephen L. Mayham (id: M000282)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Stephen L. Mayham at Find a Grave

New York State Assembly
Preceded by William Lamont	New York State Assembly Schoharie County 1863	Succeeded by Peter P. Schoolcraft
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by John V. L. Pruyn	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 14th congressional district 1869–1871	Succeeded by Eli Perry
Preceded by John H. Bagley Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 15th congressional district 1877–1879	Succeeded by William Lounsbery

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