Edmund L. Pitts
Edmund Levi Pitts (May 23, 1839 in Yates, Orleans County, New York – July 11, 1898 in Medina, Orleans County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician.
Life
He was the son of John M. Pitts (1814–1907) and Mary Ann Clark Pitts (1820–1873). He was educated at Yates Academy, then studied law with Sanford E. Church at Albion, New York, and graduated from the State and National Law School in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1860.
He married Una E. Stokes (1843–1920) on December 9, 1862. Their only child was Grace M. Pitts (1867–1900).
He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Orleans Co.) in 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867 and 1868. In 1867, he was chosen Speaker of the New York State Assembly, at the age of 27 the youngest man ever to hold this office. He was a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention.
From May 1870 to June 1873, he was an Assessor of United States Revenue for Orleans County.
He was a member of the New York State Senate (29th D.) from 1880 to 1883, sitting in the 103rd, 104th, 105th and 106th New York State Legislatures. In May 1881, when Roscoe Conkling and Thomas C. Platt resigned their seats in the United States Senate, he opposed firmly their re-election. He was a delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention.
He was again a member of the State Senate in 1886 and 1887, and was President pro tempore.
He was buried at Boxwood Cemetery in Ridgeway, New York.
Sources
- [1] Speaker election, NYT on January 3, 1867
- [2] Nomination for re-election to the State Senate, in NYT on September 30, 1881
- [3] Chosen as Pres. pro tem of State Senate, in NYT on January 5, 1886
- [4] His father's and wfe's obits, at Rootsweb
- [5] List of burials at Boxwood Cemetery, at Rootsweb
- [6] His obit in NYT on July 12, 1898
- 1839 births
- 1898 deaths
- Members of the New York State Assembly
- New York (state) Republicans
- Speakers of the New York State Assembly
- New York state senators
- Majority Leaders of the New York State Senate
- People from Yates, New York
- People from Medina, New York
- People from Ridgeway, New York
- 19th-century American politicians