Politics in Columbia County

Vol. 7, No. 2

Politics in Columbia County

In this issue:

• President’s Letter
• New York Governor Martin H. Glynn A Man in the Arena, John R. Dunne
• The Mass Convention of the Democracy, John L. Brooke
• The Cocktail Bicentennial, Eric Felten
• The Stolen Election, Mary Faherty Sansaricq
• 10 Questions for Kirsten Gillibrand, Interview by Jim Eyre
• Dewey vs. Truman in the 1948 Election, Dr. John C. Fout
• Of Morals and Manners
• An Inside Look at a Hudson Political Family, Interview by Jim Eyre with Gail Marie Grandinetti and her sister Judith Ryan Snyder
• The Impact of the Emerging Republican Party on the Effort to Achieve Black Suffrage in the State of New York 1845–1870, Nick Biggs
• Of Manors and Men – The Rent Wars in Columbia County, Clark Whelton
• Reggie Livingston, Diane Shewchuk
• Book Review “Honest Patriots”
• News of the Columbia County Historical Society
• From the Collections of the Columbia County Historical Society
• Columbia County Historical Society Calendar

On the Cover: Campaign poster, c. 1932, Gift of Stephen Rotondaro, 2005.8.2.

Clockwise:

• Delegate badge, 1922, Gift of the Estate of Dorothy Livingston, 1994.12.2
  • This badge was worn at the Onondaga Hotel in Syracuse by Reggie Livingston (1888–1962) as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention. Alfred E. Smith (1873–1944) was nominated as the gubernatorial candidate at this convention.

• Campaign button, TV Victory Committee, 1956, Gift of the Estate of Dorothy Livingston, 1994.12.1
  • Democrats Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965) and Estes Kefauver (1903-1963) lost the 1956 race to Eisenhower and Nixon. This election was the first time both parties used television ads to reach voters.

• Alternate badge, 1912, Gift of the Estate of Dorothy Livingston, 1994.12.15
  • The phrase “Have faith in the people” surrounds a portrait of Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) on this badge worn by an alternate delegate to the Democratic State Convention held on October 1, 1912 in Syracuse, New York.

• Campaign button, 1983, Gift of Margaret Frisbee Sommer, 2002.23.01
  • Gene Keeler, a Democrat from Hudson served as Columbia County District Attorney from 1984–1986.

• Badge, c. 1928, Gift of the Estate of Dorothy Livingston, 1994.12.14
  • A New York City skyline was used to identify members of the New York State Committee for the nomination of Governor Alfred E. Smith. At the 1928 Democratic National Convention in Houston, Smith won the presidential nomination but lost the election to Herbert Hoover.

• Campaign button, c. 1908, Gift of Albert S. Callan, 2002.24
  • Supporters of Chatham resident, Albert S. Callan (1884–1963) wore this button during his campaign for state assemblyman. A devoted member of the Republican party, Callan served in this capacity from 1909–1910.

• Political button, Had Enough?, before 1993, Gift of the Estate of Dorothy Livingston, 1994.12.20
  • This timeless button was included with a gift of twenty five others. They were saved by Dorothy Livingston. Her husband, Reggie Livingston and mother-in-law Mary Tailer Livingston were staunch Democrats. The family hosted many political functions at their home, Northwood, Cheviot-on-Hudson, New York.