Alfred Wagstaff Jr.


Alfred Wagstaff Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals from 1906 until his death in 1921.

Early life

Wagstaff was born on March 21, 1844, at 27 Waverly Place in New York City. He was the son of Sarah Platt Wagstaff and Dr. Alfred Wagstaff Sr., a physician in New York City, who "was the largest landowner on Long Island until the Vanderbilts."
His paternal grandfather was David Wagstaff, an English immigrant who made a fortune as a notable merchant. His maternal grandparents were Cornelius DuBois and Sarah Platt DuBois. Through his maternal grandmother, he was descended from Robert Ogden, a lawyer who worked in New Jersey and New York, and served as quartermaster during the Revolutionary War. Among his extended DuBois family was cousins, Eugene Floyd DuBois and Dr. Henry Augustus DuBois, and uncle Cornelius DuBois, who married Mary Ann Delafield DuBois.

Career

In 1863, then only 19 years old, he was commissioned as a colonel of the 16th Reg. of the New York National Guard. Wagstaff served during the New York Draft Riots in Brooklyn. In 1864, his regiment was transferred to the Union Army and stationed at Staten Island. In November 1864, he was commissioned a first lieutenant of the 91st New York Veteran Volunteers, and was detailed to the staff of Gen. William Walton Morris.
In February 1865, he was promoted to major, served as Chief of Staff of General Samuel W. Crawford with the Army of the Potomac until the end of the war, and was brevetted as a lieutenant colonel.

Legal and political career

After graduating LL.B. from Columbia Law School in 1866, Wagstaff was admitted to the bar, practiced in New York City, and resided in West Islip. He joined the New York City Bar Association. He became a member of the law firm of Gardiner, Ward & Wagstaff, which later was known as North, Ward & Wagstaff.
From 1867 to 1869, he was Colonel and A.D.C. on the staff of Reuben Fenton, the Governor of New York.
In 1867, he was elected as a Republican member of the New York State Assembly, representing Suffolk County, serving in the 90th New York State Legislature. He was a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention. In 1872, he joined the Liberal Republican Party, and supported Horace Greeley for President.
Afterwards Wagstaff became a Democratic and in 1874, was again elected a member of the State Assembly, however, this time he represented the 7th district, New York Co., serving in the 97th New York State Legislature. From January 1, 1877, to December 31, 1879, he was a member of the New York State Senate, representing the 5th District, sitting in the 100th, 101st and 102nd New York State Legislatures.
From 1896 until his death, he was the Clerk of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department.
From 1906 until his death, he served as the president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In 1920, he began his two term service as the 48th President of the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York, a charitable organization in New York City of men who are descended from early inhabitants of the State of New York. Wagstaff also served as Fourth Vice-President in 1914, Third Vice-President in 1915, Second Vice-President from 1916 to 1917, First Vice-President from 1918 to 1919.

Personal life

On March 30, 1880, he married Mary Anderson Barnard. Mary was the daughter of Fannie Barnard and George Gardner Barnard, the former Recorder of New York City. Together, they were the parents of five children, including:
Wagstaff died on October 2, 1921, at his home, "Tahlulah", in Babylon, New York, at age 77 from "a combination of ailments due to his age".

Descendants

Through his son Samuel, he was the grandfather of Samuel Jones Wagstaff Jr., a prominent art curator and collector who was in a fifteen-year relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.