The century-old hunt for New York's 'faceless' governor: Nathaniel Pitcher
Nathaniel Pitcher, the eighth governor of New York State, is buried in Baker Cemetery in Hudson Falls. The marker says Pitcher died in 1838, but state experts citing historical documents say he died in 1836. Credit: Newsday/Keshia Clukey
ALBANY — If you search online for an image of New York State’s eighth governor, Nathaniel Pitcher Jr., two portraits immediately come up, but neither are actually him.
Pitcher, who was elected lieutenant governor in 1826, became acting governor in February 1828 after Gov. Dewitt Clinton died, finishing out the last 10 months of his term.
Despite also having served as a member of the State Assembly and a member of Congress, Pitcher’s likeness remains lost to time.
For more than a century, search for his portrait has been the plight of authors, historians and journalists.
One book on New York State politics from the early 1900s says there is "no authentic portrait in existence." An article from 1917 said the state librarian was "anxious" to find the portrait, and a 1968 Associated Press news article described Pitcher as a "faceless man."
"There’s always still the hope that something is in somebody’s attic somewhere and that perhaps when somebody is doing an estate sale or something like that, it will turn up," said Stuart Lehman, a curator for the state Office of General Services. "We keep looking," said Lehman, who organizes historic and art displays at the State Capitol in Albany and has been searching for a portrait of Pitcher for about 20 years.
Every once in a while Lehman said he’ll find a new image of Pitcher online, but "it always turns out to be someone else," he said.
Images of Pitcher used online and on genealogy websites belong to either a similarly named New York politician, Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, who later became the territorial governor of Wisconsin, or John Young, the 15th governor of New York.
The portrait of Young frequently comes up, and it’s unclear how it became attached to Pitcher. The clothes are from the 1850s, and when compared with other portraits, you can see the resemblance to Young, Lehman said.
Pitcher is the only governor whose portrait could not be located in 2011 when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo reopened the Hall of Governor’s display at the State Capitol.
Historians say Pitcher may never have had a portrait made or that if he did, it was most likely destroyed by fire long ago. He died before any type of photography was widely available.
"It’s more unusual for things to survive than it is for them to disappear," said Maeve Kane, an associate professor of history at the University at Albany.
Pitcher may not have had a portrait because he wasn’t as prominent as some of his peers and portraits were moderately expensive, Kane said. Even if he had one, it’s not uncommon for historic items to be destroyed or get lost over time, she said.
Pitcher was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1777. Litchfield County and town historians told Newsday they were unable to locate a portrait.
Newsday reached out to museums and historical societies that may have collections from members of his family, including his half brother, Zina, who moved to Michigan, but none could locate an image of Pitcher.
Pitcher, an attorney, lived in Sandy Hill, which later became Hudson Falls, Washington County. He died in 1836. State historical signs mark the location of Pitcher’s former home and his grave site. He served in local government and was elected Kingsbury town supervisor in 1804.
Local and county historians either do not have a portrait of Pitcher or pointed to the portrait of Young. Profiles on several genealogical websites also link to the image of Young or show an image of Pitcher’s grave site.
One Washington County official said they heard a rumor that a business located in Schenectady’s historic Stockade neighborhood might have a portrait.
Calling the businesses in the Stockade, Newsday was able to narrow it to two potential ones that might have had a portrait — an inn and a restaurant. Both, however, have changed hands in recent years, and historic artifacts were either sold or donated.
The Schenectady Historical Society did not have a portrait of Pitcher but did have several portraits of unidentified males from the mid-1800s. Newsday sent photos of the portraits to the state, which is reviewing them; however, Lehman noted that there’s no image of Pitcher to compare them to.
Pitcher, a town in Chenango County named for the former governor, didn’t have a portrait, but the town historian said there was a fire in the early 1900s, so if there was one, it was likely destroyed.
There also was a large fire at the state archives in 1911 that destroyed many historical items, Kane said.
Pitcher, a Democratic-Republican, was elected to the State Assembly in 1806. Records show he served in the New York State militia during the War of 1812, retiring as a brigadier general.
He served another term in the Assembly from 1815 to 1817 and in 1819 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected to Congress in 1831.
Though the eighth person to become governor of New York, Pitcher is technically the state’s 10th governor because two prior governors served nonconsecutive terms. After filling out Clinton’s term, Pitcher was not chosen to be a candidate for governor, Lehman said.
Newsday reached out to multiple national and military archives but was unable to locate an image of Pitcher.
The National Governors Association’s website misidentified the portrait of Tallmadge as Pitcher.
The New York State Legislative Library found books of state governors, but Pitcher’s portrait was either noted as not available or misidentified Young as Pitcher.
In the late 1980s, employees of the state Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol conducted a thorough search, contacting museums and archives nationwide, as well as tracking down the collections of relatives, Lehman said.
The state even searched the carvings in the Capitol building, as the first 30 governors were carved into the historic Million Dollar Staircase, Lehman said. But because Pitcher was considered an acting governor, he wasn’t included, he said.
In lieu of a portrait, Lehman said they hope to display a military commission document signed by Pitcher in the Hall of Governor’s at the State Capitol.
"There’s certainly a paper trail for him. There’s a lot to research. He was an interesting figure," he said.
ALBANY — If you search online for an image of New York State’s eighth governor, Nathaniel Pitcher Jr., two portraits immediately come up, but neither are actually him.
Pitcher, who was elected lieutenant governor in 1826, became acting governor in February 1828 after Gov. Dewitt Clinton died, finishing out the last 10 months of his term.
Despite also having served as a member of the State Assembly and a member of Congress, Pitcher’s likeness remains lost to time.
For more than a century, search for his portrait has been the plight of authors, historians and journalists.
WHAT TO KNOW
- For more than a century authors, historians and journalists have searched for a portrait of New York State’s eighth governor, Nathaniel Pitcher Jr.
- Despite also having served as a member of the State Assembly and a member of Congress, Pitcher’s likeness remains lost to time.
- Pitcher was elected lieutenant governor in 1826 and became acting governor in February 1828 after Gov. Dewitt Clinton died.
One book on New York State politics from the early 1900s says there is "no authentic portrait in existence." An article from 1917 said the state librarian was "anxious" to find the portrait, and a 1968 Associated Press news article described Pitcher as a "faceless man."
"There’s always still the hope that something is in somebody’s attic somewhere and that perhaps when somebody is doing an estate sale or something like that, it will turn up," said Stuart Lehman, a curator for the state Office of General Services. "We keep looking," said Lehman, who organizes historic and art displays at the State Capitol in Albany and has been searching for a portrait of Pitcher for about 20 years.
Every once in a while Lehman said he’ll find a new image of Pitcher online, but "it always turns out to be someone else," he said.
Images of Pitcher used online and on genealogy websites belong to either a similarly named New York politician, Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, who later became the territorial governor of Wisconsin, or John Young, the 15th governor of New York.
New York politician Nathaniel P. Tallmadge was also often mistaken for Nathaniel Pitcher Jr. Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society
The portrait of Young frequently comes up, and it’s unclear how it became attached to Pitcher. The clothes are from the 1850s, and when compared with other portraits, you can see the resemblance to Young, Lehman said.
Pitcher is the only governor whose portrait could not be located in 2011 when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo reopened the Hall of Governor’s display at the State Capitol.
Historians say Pitcher may never have had a portrait made or that if he did, it was most likely destroyed by fire long ago. He died before any type of photography was widely available.
"It’s more unusual for things to survive than it is for them to disappear," said Maeve Kane, an associate professor of history at the University at Albany.
Pitcher may not have had a portrait because he wasn’t as prominent as some of his peers and portraits were moderately expensive, Kane said. Even if he had one, it’s not uncommon for historic items to be destroyed or get lost over time, she said.
A potential lead
Pitcher was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1777. Litchfield County and town historians told Newsday they were unable to locate a portrait.
Newsday reached out to museums and historical societies that may have collections from members of his family, including his half brother, Zina, who moved to Michigan, but none could locate an image of Pitcher.
Pitcher, an attorney, lived in Sandy Hill, which later became Hudson Falls, Washington County. He died in 1836. State historical signs mark the location of Pitcher’s former home and his grave site. He served in local government and was elected Kingsbury town supervisor in 1804.
Local and county historians either do not have a portrait of Pitcher or pointed to the portrait of Young. Profiles on several genealogical websites also link to the image of Young or show an image of Pitcher’s grave site.
One Washington County official said they heard a rumor that a business located in Schenectady’s historic Stockade neighborhood might have a portrait.
Calling the businesses in the Stockade, Newsday was able to narrow it to two potential ones that might have had a portrait — an inn and a restaurant. Both, however, have changed hands in recent years, and historic artifacts were either sold or donated.
The Schenectady Historical Society did not have a portrait of Pitcher but did have several portraits of unidentified males from the mid-1800s. Newsday sent photos of the portraits to the state, which is reviewing them; however, Lehman noted that there’s no image of Pitcher to compare them to.
Pitcher, a town in Chenango County named for the former governor, didn’t have a portrait, but the town historian said there was a fire in the early 1900s, so if there was one, it was likely destroyed.
There also was a large fire at the state archives in 1911 that destroyed many historical items, Kane said.
Ongoing search
Pitcher, a Democratic-Republican, was elected to the State Assembly in 1806. Records show he served in the New York State militia during the War of 1812, retiring as a brigadier general.
He served another term in the Assembly from 1815 to 1817 and in 1819 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected to Congress in 1831.
Though the eighth person to become governor of New York, Pitcher is technically the state’s 10th governor because two prior governors served nonconsecutive terms. After filling out Clinton’s term, Pitcher was not chosen to be a candidate for governor, Lehman said.
Newsday reached out to multiple national and military archives but was unable to locate an image of Pitcher.
The National Governors Association’s website misidentified the portrait of Tallmadge as Pitcher.
The New York State Legislative Library found books of state governors, but Pitcher’s portrait was either noted as not available or misidentified Young as Pitcher.
In the late 1980s, employees of the state Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol conducted a thorough search, contacting museums and archives nationwide, as well as tracking down the collections of relatives, Lehman said.
The state even searched the carvings in the Capitol building, as the first 30 governors were carved into the historic Million Dollar Staircase, Lehman said. But because Pitcher was considered an acting governor, he wasn’t included, he said.
In lieu of a portrait, Lehman said they hope to display a military commission document signed by Pitcher in the Hall of Governor’s at the State Capitol.
"There’s certainly a paper trail for him. There’s a lot to research. He was an interesting figure," he said.
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