Representative Adolphus Hitchcock Tanner - Contact Information

Adolphus Hitchcock Tanner (May 23, 1833 – January 14, 1882) was a U.S. Representative from New York. He was born in Granville, Washington County, New York, on May 23, 1833. Little is recorded about his family background, but he completed preparatory studies in his native region, laying the foundation for a professional career in law and public service in upstate New York.

After his early education, Tanner studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He commenced the practice of law in Whitehall, New York, a community in Washington County that would remain the center of his professional and political life. As a young attorney, he established himself in local legal circles, building the experience and reputation that later supported his entry into public office. His legal practice in Whitehall continued, with interruptions for military and political service, throughout much of his adult life.

During the American Civil War, Tanner entered the Union Army in 1862, reflecting the strong enlistment response in upstate New York. He was commissioned as a captain in command of Company C, 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Over the course of the war he was promoted through the ranks, ultimately serving as lieutenant colonel and second in command of the regiment by the close of hostilities. His wartime service placed him in a leadership role during one of the most consequential periods in the nation’s history and contributed to the standing he later enjoyed among his constituents.

Following the Civil War, Tanner returned to Whitehall and resumed his legal practice, while also becoming active in Republican Party politics. As a member of the Republican Party representing New York, he emerged from the postwar political environment shaped by Reconstruction and the redefinition of federal authority and civil rights. His military record and professional background made him a viable candidate for national office at a time when veterans were frequently elevated to positions of political leadership.

Tanner was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first Congress and served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1871. As a member of the Republican Party representing New York, he contributed to the legislative process during this single term in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, as the federal government addressed issues of Reconstruction, the readmission of former Confederate states, and the protection of newly established civil and political rights. In this context, Tanner participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his New York constituents within the broader national debates of the era.

At the conclusion of his congressional term, Tanner did not return to Congress but instead resumed the practice of law in Whitehall, New York. He continued his professional activities there during the final decade of his life, remaining a figure of local prominence as a former Union officer and former member of Congress. He died in Whitehall on January 14, 1882. Adolphus Hitchcock Tanner was interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Salem, New York, in Washington County, near the communities where he had been born, practiced law, and built his public career.