Abner Hazeltine

Abner Hazeltine (June 10, 1793 – December 20, 1879) was an attorney, politician, and judge from New York. In addition to a long career practicing law in Jamestown, he served as a member of the New York State Assembly, district attorney and judge of Chautauqua County, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. After attaining admission to the bar in 1819, he practiced continually for 60 years, and was still active when he died at age 86.

A native of Wardsboro, Vermont, Hazeltine attended the local schools, studied with a tutor, then began attendance at Williams College, from which he graduated in 1815. He settled in Jamestown, New York, where he was a founder of Jamestown Academy, where he taught for several years while he studied law with two local attorneys. After joining the bar, he resided briefly in Warren, Pennsylvania before returning to Jamestown.

Opposed to slavery, Hazeltine changed his party affiliation several times in the early to mid 1800s as the abolition movement grew, including joining the Anti-Masonic, Anti-Jacksonian, and Whig Parties. When the Republican Party was founded in the mid-1850s as the main anti-slavery party, Hazeltine became an early adherent.

Hazeltine served in legislative and judicial posts throughout his life. He was a member of the state Assembly for two terms, 1829 to 1830, and a member of the U.S. House for two terms, 1833 to 1837. He served as Chautauqua County's district attorney from 1847 to 1850. From 1859 to 1863, Hazeltine was judge of the Chautauqua County Court, and he was a special judge of the county court from 1873 to 1874. From 1873 until his death, Hazeltine served as U.S. Commissioner of Courts for the Northern District of New York. He died in Jamestown on December 20, 1879, and was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown.

Early life Hazeltine was born in Wardsboro, Vermont on June 10, 1793, the son of Daniel Hazeltine and Susannah (Jones) Hazeltine. Hazeltine attended the common schools of Wardsboro, and was tutored by the pastor of his church. He then attended Williams College, from which he graduated in 1815. He moved to Warren, Pennsylvania, and was the first lawyer in the county. In the mid-1820s, he was among the Chautauqua County residents who advocated for construction of a canal that would connect the Erie Canal with the Allegheny River, thus creating a transportation route to Pittsburgh.

Career Hazeltine served as member of the New York State Assembly in 1829 and 1830. He was also an opponent of slavery, and opposed motions to ban anti-slavery petitions from being received by the House. He later became a Whig and he served as district attorney of Chautauqua County from 1847 to 1850. During the American Civil War, he was appointed a state commissioner for overseeing the Union Army draft in Chautauqua County. He was appointed a special county judge of Chautauqua County in 1873 and served until 1874. Hazeltine served as United States Commissioner for the courts of the Northern District of New York from 1873 until his death.

Family In 1819, Hazeltine was married Polly Kidder of Wardsboro. She died in 1832, and in 1834, he married Matilda Hayward. He was the father of four children with his first wife, and three with his second.