Albert Gallup

Albert Gallup (January 30, 1796 – November 5, 1851) was a U.S. representative from New York, serving one term from 1837 to 1839. A member of the Democratic Party, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his New York constituents in the Twenty-fifth Congress.

Gallup was born in East Berne, New York, to Nathaniel Gallup (1770–1834) and Lucy (née Latham) Gallup (1773–1862). He came from a family with deep colonial roots and a tradition of military service. Among his ancestors was Capt. John Gallup, who was killed in the Narraganset Swamp fight during the colonial Indian wars, and William Latham, who was killed at the Battle of New London. These family connections to early American conflicts formed part of the historical background into which Gallup was born and raised.

As a child, Gallup received only limited formal schooling. Despite this modest educational beginning, he pursued the study of law as a young man. After reading law, he was admitted to the bar and established a legal practice in Albany, New York. His work as an attorney in the state capital brought him into contact with local public affairs and laid the foundation for his later roles in county and federal service.

Gallup’s first major public office was in local law enforcement. From 1831 to 1834, he served as sheriff of Albany County, New York. In this capacity he was responsible for maintaining public order, executing court orders, and overseeing the county jail, a position that enhanced his visibility and standing in the community. His service as sheriff helped to solidify his reputation and contributed to his emergence as a Democratic Party figure in the region.

Gallup was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-fifth Congress, representing New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1839. His single term in Congress coincided with a turbulent period in national politics, including the economic dislocation following the Panic of 1837 and debates over federal financial policy and internal improvements. As a member of the Democratic Party, Gallup contributed to the legislative process during this era, participating in the democratic governance of the nation and advocating for the interests of his New York constituents. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Twenty-sixth Congress in 1838, thus concluding his formal congressional service after one term.

After leaving Congress, Gallup continued his involvement in public affairs. In 1843 he was appointed the United States collector of customs for Albany, a federal position that placed him in charge of overseeing the collection of customs duties and the administration of federal revenue laws at that port. This appointment reflected both his prior experience in public office and the continued confidence placed in him by Democratic administrations.

On April 26, 1818, Gallup married Eunice Smith (1799–1872), the daughter of Capt. Amos Denison Smith and Priscilla Mitchell. The couple had several children who themselves became prominent in various fields. Their daughter Caroline Gallup Reed (1821–1914) became a noted educator and married the Reverend Sylvanus Reed (1821–1870). Their son Albert Smith Gallup (1823–1906) served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1853 to 1854. Another daughter, Priscilla Gallup (born 1828), married George H. Whitney in 1852. Their daughter Lucy Gallup (born 1832) married Dr. Henry Delavan Paine (1816–1893) in 1858. Their son Edwin C. Gallup (born 1835) married Anna B. Calket in 1870. Another daughter, Eunice Ida Gallup (1840–1898), married William W. Rhoades (1837–1893). A younger son, Francis William Gallup (1841–1842), died in infancy.

Through his children, Gallup was the grandfather of several notable figures. He was the grandfather of Latham Gallup Reed (1855–1945), a prominent New York lawyer, and Anna Dewitt Reed (1858–1958), who married civil engineer William Barclay Parsons (1859–1932) in 1884. He was also the grandfather of Isabel Whitney, a member of New York society who married William H. Sage of “Uplands” in Albany, New York. These descendants extended the family’s influence into the legal, engineering, and social spheres of New York and beyond.

Albert Gallup died on November 5, 1851, in Providence, Rhode Island. He was interred in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence. His life encompassed service as a lawyer, county sheriff, member of Congress, and federal customs official, and he left a family whose members continued to play significant roles in public and professional life in the decades following his death.