Stephen Lush

Stephen Lush (1753 – April, 1825) was an American politician and lawyer from New York, and an officer during the American Revolutionary War.

Early life

Lush was born in New York City.^[1] He attended King's College, earning a bachelor of arts in 1770 and a master's degree in 1773.^[2] He was admitted to the bar in 1774, at the age of twenty-one, and moved to Albany to practice law and live with his brother, Richard.^[2][3]

Career

After the start of the American Revolutionary War, he was elected to the Albany Committee of Correspondence in 1776.^[2] He served as a captain in the New York Volunteers in 1776, and then joined the Fifth New Jersey Regiment under Colonel Oliver Spencer, serving as acting judge advocate general in 1777.^[1] He attained the rank of major, and served as the aide-de-camp of General George Clinton.^[3] Clinton commanded Fort Montgomery, on the Hudson River; when the fort was taken by the British on October 6, 1777, Lush was captured.^[1] He was held prisoner for nearly a year, when he was used as bait in a proposed exchange of three prisoners; Clinton agreed without hesitation, unaware that one of the other American prisoners was actually a valuable British spy.^[4] After his release in 1778, Lush was appointed Clerk of the New York Court of Chancery.^[2]

Post-Revolutionary War

After the war, he moved to Albany and started a successful legal practice.^[3] He was elected to the New York Assembly in 1792 and 1793, and then to the New York Senate in 1800, representing the eastern senate district until 1803.^[1] He was elected again to the Assembly four more times, 1803 to 1806.^[1] Lush owned slaves as late as 1819; at one time, he had five in his house.^[2]

Personal life

In 1781, he married Lydia Stringer (died 1841), the daughter of prominent physician Samuel Stringer.^[1][5] They had seven children:^[6]

• Samuel Lush (1782–1782), who died in infancy
• Samuel Stringer Lush (1783–1841)
• William Lush (1785–1846)
• Mary Lush
• Rachel Lush
• Gertrude Lush (c. 1797–1874), who married Robert James, the son of William James of Albany, one of the wealthiest people in the United States in the early 19th century.^[3]
• Richard Lush (1798–1828).^[7]

His son Samuel also became a lawyer and a member of the New York Assembly.^[8]

After his death in April 1825, Lush was buried in Albany Rural Cemetery.^[2]