The 135th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to March 29, 1912, during the second year of John Alden Dix's governorship, in Albany.

Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1906 and 1907, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (eight districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

Elections The 1911 New York state election was held on November 7. No statewide elective offices were up for election. For the first time, a Socialist was elected to the Assembly.

Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1912; and adjourned on March 29.

Edwin A. Merritt Jr. (R) was elected Speaker with 95 votes against 45 for Al Smith (D).

On April 19, Bronx County was created by the Legislature, to be effectively separated from New York County on January 1, 1914. To date, this was the last county created in the State of New York.

State Senate Districts

Members The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.

District Senator Party Notes1stJames L. Long* Democrat2ndDennis J. Harte* Democrat3rdThomas H. Cullen* Democrat4thLoring M. Black Jr.* Democrat5thBarth S. Cronin* Democrat6thEugene M. Travis* Republican7thThomas C. Harden* Democrat8thJames F. Duhamel* Democrat9thFelix J. Sanner* Democrat10thJames H. O'Brien* Democraton November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress11thChristopher D. Sullivan* Democrat12thTimothy D. Sullivan* Democraton November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress13thJames D. McClelland* Democrat14th(Thomas F. Grady)* Democratdid not take his seat, and died on February 3, 191215thThomas J. McManus* Democrat16thRobert F. Wagner* DemocratPresident pro tempore17thJohn G. Saxe* Democrat18thHenry W. Pollock* Democrat19thJosiah T. Newcomb* Republican20thJames J. Frawley* Democrat21stStephen J. Stilwell* Democrat22ndAnthony J. Griffin* Democrat23rdHoward R. Bayne* Democrat24thJ. Mayhew Wainwright* Republican25thJohn B. Rose* Republican26thFranklin D. Roosevelt* Democrat27thWilliam P. Fiero* Democrat28thHenry M. Sage* Republican29thVictor M. Allen* Republican30thEdgar T. Brackett* RepublicanMinority Leader31stLoren H. White* Democrat32ndSeth G. Heacock* Republican33rdJames A. Emerson* Republican34thHerbert P. Coats* Republican35thGeorge H. Cobb* Republican36thT. Harvey Ferris* Democrat37thRalph W. Thomas* Republican 38thJ. Henry Walters* Republican39thHarvey D. Hinman* Republican40thCharles J. Hewitt* Republican41stJohn F. Murtaugh* Democrat42ndFrederick W. Griffith* Republican43rdFrank C. Platt* Republican44thThomas H. Bussey* Republican45thGeorge F. Argetsinger* Republican46thWilliam L. Ormrod* Republican47thRobert H. Gittins* Democraton November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress48thFrank M. Loomis* Democrat49thSamuel J. Ramsperger* Democrat50thGeorge B. Burd* Democrat51stCharles Mann Hamilton* Republicanon November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress

Employees Clerk: Patrick E. McCabe Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry E. Oxford Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: John J. Dillon Principal Doorkeeper: Fred W. Theobold Assistant Doorkeeper: Thomas Nolan Stenographer: William E. Reynolds

State Assembly Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

Assemblymen District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany1stHarold J. Hinman* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary2ndJohn G. Malone Republican3rdJohn Gibeau Republican AlleganyRansom L. Richardson Republican BroomeArthur J. Ruland Democrat CattaraugusEllsworth J. Cheney* RepublicanChairman of Public Education CayugaMichael Grace Republican Chautauqua1stJulius Lincoln* RepublicanChairman of Charitable and Religious Societies2ndJohn Leo Sullivan* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages ChemungRobert P. Bush* Democrat ChenangoWalter A. Shepardson* RepublicanChairman of Soldiers' Home ClintonCharles J. Vert Republican ColumbiaJohn L. Crandell Republican CortlandCharles F. Brown* RepublicanChairman of Public Health DelawareClayton L. Wheeler* Democrat Dutchess1stMyron Smith RepublicanChairman of Excise2ndLewis Stuyvesant Chanler* Democrat Erie1stCharles C. Page Republican2ndClinton T. Horton Republican3rdHenry J. Rahl Republican4thEdward D. Jackson* Democrat5thRichard F. Hearn* Democrat6thJames M. Rozan Democrat7thGottfried H. Wende* Democrat8thClarence MacGregor* RepublicanChairman of Codes9thFrank B. Thorn* RepublicanChairman of General Laws EssexSpencer G. Prime II Republican FranklinAlexander Macdonald* RepublicanChairman of Forestry, Fisheries and Game Fulton and HamiltonAlden Hart* Republican GeneseeClarence Bryant* Republican GreeneJ. Lewis Patrie* Democrat HerkimerTheodore Douglas Robinson Republican Jefferson1stHenry E. Machold Republican2ndJohn G. Jones* RepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills Kings1stDaniel V. Barnes Republican2ndWilliam J. Gillen* Democrat3rdMichael A. O'Neil* Democrat4thGeorge Langhorst Republican5thAbraham F. Lent* Republican6thGeorge Heiberger Republican7thDaniel F. Farrell* Democrat8thJohn J. McKeon* Democrat9thAlbert H. T. Banzhaf Republican10thFred M. Ahern* Republican11thWilliam W. Colne* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities12thFrederick W. Singleton Republican13thCharles Schmitt Republican14thJames J. Garvey Democrat15thThomas E. Willmott Democrat16thForrest S. Chilton Republican17thEdward A. Ebbets* RepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation18thAlmeth W. Hoff* Republican19thJacob Schifferdecker* Democrat20thFrank Bennett Republican21stHarry Heyman* Democrat22ndEdward R. W. Karutz Republican23rdWilliam F. Mathewson Republican LewisHumphrey E. Slocum RepublicanChairman of Labor and Industries LivingstonJohn C. Winters Jr.* Republican MadisonMorell E. Tallett Republican Monroe1stJared W. Hopkins Republican2ndSimon L. Adler* Republican3rdAugust V. Pappert* Republican4thCyrus W. Phillips* Republican5thWilliam T. Keys* Republican MontgomeryWalter A. Gage Republican NassauJeremiah Wood Republican New York1stThomas B. Caughlan* Democrat2ndAl Smith* DemocratMinority Leader3rdJohn C. Fitzgerald Democrat4thAaron J. Levy* Democrat5thJimmy Walker* Democrat6thHarry Kopp* RepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections7thPeter P. McElligott* Democrat8thMoritz Graubard* Democrat9thJohn C. Hackett* Democrat10thMeyer Greenberg Democrat11thJohn J. Boylan* Democrat12thJames A. Foley* Democrat13thJames C. Campbell Democrat14thJohn J. Herrick* Democrat15thHenry J. Crawford Republican16thMartin G. McCue* Democrat17thFranklin Brooks* RepublicanChairman of Military Affairs18thMark Goldberg* Democrat19thAndrew F. Murray* Republican20thPatrick J. McGrath* Democrat21stDean Nelson Republican22ndEdward Weil* Democrat23rdSidney C. Crane Republican24thThomas A. Brennan* Democrat25thFrancis R. Stoddard Jr. Republican26thAbram Goodman* Republican27thCharles A. Dana Republican28thJacob Levy* Democrat29thThomas S. Coleman Republican30thLouis A. Cuvillier* Democrat31stMax Shlivek* RepublicanChairman of Claims32ndMorris S. Schector Republican33rdWilliam B. Ruddick Republican34thCharles I. Fleck Republican35thJohn Yule Republican Niagara1stKarl S. Brong Republican2ndHenry A. Constantine* Republican Oneida1stRalph Entwistle Republican2ndHerbert E. Allen* RepublicanChairman of Banks3rdJames T. Cross* RepublicanChairman of Insurance Onondaga1stCharles R. Milford Republican2ndDavid L. Edwards Republican3rdThomas K. Smith* RepublicanChairman of Revision OntarioThomas B. Wilson* RepublicanChairman of Agriculture Orange1stCaleb H. Baumes* RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment2ndJohn D. Stivers* RepublicanChairman of Public Printing OrleansFrank A. Waters* Republican OswegoThaddeus C. Sweet* RepublicanChairman of Canals OtsegoWillard G. Bullion Republican PutnamJohn R. Yale* RepublicanChairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply Queens1stAndrew Zorn* Democrat2ndAlfred J. Kennedy* Democrat3rdAdam Metz Jr. Republican4thJames A. Bell Republican Rensselaer1stCharles Fred Schwarz Democrat2nd(Bradford R. Lansing)* RepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs; did not take his seat, and died on February 4, 1912Assemblyman B. R. Lansing in NYT on February 5, 1912 RichmondRalph R. McKee Democrat RocklandGeorge A. Blauvelt* Democrat St. Lawrence1stFrank L. Seaker Republican2ndEdwin A. Merritt Jr.* Republicanelected Speaker; Chairman of Rules; on November 5, 1912, elected to the 62nd and 63rd U.S. Congresses SaratogaGeorge H. Whitney RepublicanChairman of Ways and Means SchenectadyHerbert M. Merrill Socialist SchoharieDaniel D. Frisbie* Democrat SchuylerJohn W. Gurnett* Democrat SenecaNelson Duntz Republican Steuben1stThomas Shannon* Republican2ndJohn Seeley* Democrat Suffolk1stDeWitt C. Talmage* Republican2ndGeorge L. Thompson RepublicanChairman of Public Institutions SullivanJohn K. Evans* Democrat TiogaJohn G. Pembleton Republican TompkinsMinor McDaniels* Democrat Ulster1stAndrew J. Cook Republican2ndSamuel C. Waring* Republican WarrenHenry E. H. Brereton* Republican WashingtonJames S. Parker* RepublicanChairman of Railroads; on November 5, 1912, elected to the 63rd U.S. Congress WayneAlbert Yeomans* Republican Westchester1stTracy P. Madden Democrat2ndWilliam S. Coffey* RepublicanChairman of Penal Institutions3rdFrank L. Young* RepublicanMajority Leader4thGeorge A. Slater Republican WyomingHenry A. Pierce* Republican YatesEdward C. Gillett Republican

Employees Clerk: Fred W. Hammond Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry W. Haines Principal Doorkeeper: Michael Kehoe First Assistant Doorkeeper: James B. Hulse Second Assistant Doorkeeper: D. C. Easton Stenographer: Henry C. Lammert Postmaster: James H. Underwood

Notes

Sources Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes by Charles Elliott Fitch (Hurd Publishing Co., New York and Buffalo, 1911, Vol. IV; see pg. 367 for senators) Journal of the Senate (135th Session) (1912; Vol. I) Journal of the Assembly (135th Session) (1912; Vol. I; from January 3 to March 20) Journal of the Assembly (135th Session) (1912; Vol. II; from March 20 to 29) REPUBLICANS SEE BIG GAINS AHEAD in NYT on October 29, 1911 COMMITTEE PLUMS GO TO MERRITT BACKERS in NYT on January 11, 1912