John L. Schoolcraft

John Lawrence Schoolcraft
John L. Schoolcraft, Congressman from New York
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 13th district
In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853
Preceded by	John I. Slingerland
Succeeded by	Russell Sage
Personal details
Born	(1806-09-22)September 22, 1806 Guilderland, New York, U.S.
Died	June 7, 1860(1860-06-07) (aged 53) St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Resting place	Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Other political affiliations	Whig

John Lawrence Schoolcraft (September 22, 1806 – June 7, 1860) was a U.S. Representative from New York.

John L. Schoolcraft was born in Guilderland, New York on September 22, 1806. His father died when he was three months old, and Schoolcraft's mother remarried and moved to Michigan. He remained in Guilderland, where he was raised by his grandparents.

The Schoolcrafts owned a large farm in Guilderland (over 1,000 acres), and ran a tavern and hotel on the Great Western Turnpike (now Western Avenue).

Schoolcraft was educated in the schools of Guilderland. At age 18 Schoolcraft's application to the United States Military Academy was rejected. As a result, he moved to Albany and began a business and banking career. He operated a wholesale grocery business and was active in the Albany and Cohoes and New York Central Railroads, and several other enterprises.

In the 1830s Schoolcraft became active in the Whig Party. He was a member of the New York Whig Central Committee, and was a delegate to several local and state party conventions. As a result of these activities, Schoolcraft became a close confidant of William H. Seward and Thurlow Weed.

Schoolcraft was elected as a Whig to the Thirty-first Congress, succeeding John I. Slingerland by defeating candidates of the Democratic and Free Soil parties. He was reelected to the Thirty-second Congress, defeating Democrat Erastus Corning. He represented New York's 13th congressional district from March 4, 1849 to March 3, 1853, and was not a candidate for renomination in 1852. He was succeeded by Russell Sage.