Gamaliel Henry Barstow

Gamaliel Henry Barstow (July 20, 1784 – March 30, 1865) was a physician, American politician, judge, and U.S. representative for New York. He was born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, where he spent his early years before pursuing professional training. He studied medicine in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, preparing for a career that would combine medical practice with public service. Barstow later married Nancy Coryell, daughter of Judge Coryell, a powerful and influential figure in local politics, and they had three children: Elijah, Mary, and John.

In 1812, Barstow moved to Tioga County, New York. There he worked on his father’s farm and taught school, quickly integrating himself into the life of the community. Within a year of his arrival he had become close friends with Judge Coryell, and by 1813 he had married Coryell’s daughter Nancy. Establishing himself as a leading figure in the developing town of Nichols, Barstow built the first frame house there and opened a store at that location, combining commercial activity with his medical practice. His growing prominence in local affairs laid the foundation for a long career in public office.

Barstow entered state politics as a member of the New York State Assembly representing Tioga County, serving in 1816, 1816–17, and 1818. In 1818 he was appointed First Judge of the Tioga County Court, a position he held until 1823, presiding over local judicial matters during a period of rapid growth and settlement in the region. Simultaneously, he served as a member of the New York State Senate from the Western District from 1819 to 1822, sitting in the 42nd, 43rd, 44th, and 45th New York State Legislatures. By 1823, reflecting his established status in Nichols, he purchased a parcel of land and built a two-story brick New England–style home, a substantial residence that, many years later, became known as The Barstow House Restaurant.

Barstow continued to play an active role in state government after his initial legislative and judicial service. He returned to the New York State Assembly in 1824 and again in 1827, representing Tioga County. From 1825 to 1826 he served as New York State Treasurer, overseeing the state’s fiscal affairs at a time of expanding internal improvements and financial complexity. In local government, he was elected Town Supervisor of Nichols in 1830, further underscoring his influence in both county and town administration.

As a member of the Anti-Masonic Party representing New York, Barstow contributed to the legislative process during one term in the United States Congress. Elected as an Anti-Mason to the 22nd United States Congress, he served as U.S. Representative for New York’s twenty-fifth district from March 4, 1831, to March 3, 1833. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by growing political realignment and the rise of new parties. In Washington, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents from Tioga County and the surrounding region, aligning with the Anti-Masonic movement’s skepticism of secret societies and its calls for greater transparency in public life.

After his congressional term, Barstow remained active in state-level politics. In 1836, he was the Whig candidate for lieutenant governor of New York on a ticket headed by Jesse Buel for governor. The Whig ticket was defeated by the incumbent Democratic administration of Governor William L. Marcy and Lieutenant Governor John Tracy. Barstow returned to statewide office as New York State Treasurer from 1838 to 1839, once again managing the state’s finances during a turbulent economic era following the Panic of 1837.

In his later years, Barstow resumed the practice of medicine and engaged in agricultural pursuits in Nichols, New York, maintaining his long-standing ties to the community he had helped to develop. He continued to live in Tioga County until his death in Nichols on March 30, 1865, at the age of 80. Gamaliel Henry Barstow was buried in Ashbury Cemetery in Nichols, leaving a legacy as a physician, jurist, state legislator, state treasurer, and one-term U.S. representative who played a notable role in the political and civic life of early nineteenth-century New York.