Daniel D. Tompkins was the sixth Vice President of the United States, serving two terms under President James Monroe from 1817 to 1825.
Early Life
Daniel D. Tompkins was born in Scarsdale, New York, on June 21, 1774. He graduated from Columbia College (now Columbia University) as valedictorian in 1775 and subsequently was admitted to practice law in 1797.
Early Career
Tompkins’ early career was marked by a rapid ascent in both legal and political spheres. He quickly gained recognition as a skilled attorney while serving as a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1801. He entered politics as a Democratic-Republican and was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1803 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1804. However, he never took his seat in the House because he resigned to become a New York Supreme Court Associate Justice.
He was elected Governor of New York in 1807, a position he held for two consecutive terms. As Governor, Tompkins played a pivotal role during the War of 1812, reorganizing the state militia and personally financing war efforts by borrowing on his own credit. His most significant contributions, however, were his role in legislation outlawing slavery in New York and laying the foundations for statewide education. Both were monumental steps toward justice and progress in American history.
Vice Presidency
In 1816, Tompkins assumed the role of Vice President. Before his second term, however, he ran for Governor of New York once again, but lost the election to DeWitt Clinton, a longtime political rival. Tompkins was re-nominated to serve as Vice President but was often absent from Washington, D.C., due to his struggles with alcoholism and his financial difficulties stemming from financing the War of 1812. His absence as Senate Presiding Officer was felt during the Missouri Compromise debates. On June 11, 1825, shortly after his vice presidency, Tompkins died at age 50 in Tompkinsville N.Y., a section of Staten Island. There are several places in New York named after him.
