Lucas Conrad Elmendorf

Lucas Conrad Elmendorf (1758 – August 17, 1843) was a United States Representative from New York and a prominent lawyer and jurist in Ulster County during the early years of the American republic. He was born in Kingston, New York, then part of the Province of New York, into a longstanding local family whose roots in the region dated to the Dutch colonial era. He was the son of Jonathan Elmendorf (1723–1798) and Magdalena Smedes Elmendorf (1728 – before 1765). The Elmendorf family was among the first settlers of Wiltwyck, the early name for Kingston, and played a role in the settlement and development of many parts of Ulster County. Through his mother, he was a descendant of Louis DuBois, a Huguenot settler of the Hudson Valley, linking him to some of the earliest European families in the region.

Elmendorf received a formal education that reflected both his family’s standing and the growing emphasis on classical learning in the post-Revolutionary era. He attended Princeton College (now Princeton University), from which he graduated in 1782. Following his graduation, he pursued legal studies, reading law in the customary manner of the time. He was admitted to the bar in 1785 and commenced the practice of law. Establishing himself as an attorney in Kingston, he became part of the emerging professional class that helped shape legal and political life in New York in the decades after independence.

As a member of the Republican Party—known in the period as the Democratic-Republican Party—representing New York, Elmendorf contributed to the legislative process during three terms in the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Congresses and served from March 4, 1797, to March 3, 1803. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, encompassing the administrations of John Adams and the early years of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. During these years, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New York constituents as the young nation confronted issues of federal power, party formation, and foreign relations. After three consecutive terms, he declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1802, thereby concluding his service in the national legislature.

Following his departure from Congress, Elmendorf continued an active public career in New York State. He was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he served in 1804 and 1805, participating in state-level legislation during a period of rapid growth and political change. He later served in the New York State Senate from 1814 to 1817, further extending his influence in state government. His legislative work at both the state and federal levels reflected the ongoing evolution of New York’s legal and political institutions in the early nineteenth century.

In addition to his legislative roles, Elmendorf held significant judicial and county offices in Ulster County. He was appointed the first judge of the Court of Common Pleas (now the county court) of Ulster County, serving from 1815 to 1821. In this capacity, he presided over a broad range of civil matters at a time when county courts were central to the administration of justice in New York. Later, he served as surrogate of Ulster County from 1835 to 1840, overseeing probate and estate matters and further cementing his reputation as an experienced jurist and public servant. These judicial appointments underscored his standing in the legal community and his long-term commitment to public service at the local level.

Elmendorf remained closely tied to his native Kingston throughout his life. He died there on August 17, 1843. He was interred in the crypt of the First Dutch Church in Kingston, a burial place associated with many of the region’s early Dutch families, reflecting both his heritage and his lifelong connection to the community. His extended family continued to be interwoven with American public life; his second great-niece, through his sister Blandina Elmendorf Brodhead, was Cordelia Phythian, who married United States Navy officer Joel R. P. Pringle. Through his legal practice, legislative service, and judicial responsibilities, Lucas Conrad Elmendorf played a notable role in the civic and political development of New York during the formative decades of the United States.